Mid-Week Matters | Vol 4

June 25, 2025

Mid-Week Matters | Vol 4

Morning all. Josh here, and this is a “typed at pace. Published with purpose” edition of MWM.

It’s the morning after the day of the Freelancer & Contractor Services Association (FCSA) Forum event in Manchester. I’ll be telling you about it in more detail below, but it was a GREAT event and CMRwere proud to sponsor it.

Before that, though, and the big BIG thing on everyone’s lips, the proposed…

Joint and Several Liability model.

I’m going to take a few minutes to tell you my thoughts, if you haven’t already heard them.

It’s Cautious Optimism for the Umbrella Market

On an already infamous call with HMRC and industry stakeholders in mid-June, it was verbally confirmed that the policy team is leaning toward a joint and several liability model for the upcoming umbrella reforms.

That’s not just a shift in wording. It’s a shift in mindset.

There’s a lot of excitement in the air right now – and rightly so.

The suggestion from HMRC that they’re leaning towards a joint and several liability model feels like a real step forward. It would shift the burden of compliance to where it belongs, and force agencies to take their responsibilities seriously.

But it’s important to remember that nothing is confirmed yet.

I’ve had a few conversations with people who’ve been in the industry far longer than I have. The message is consistent —

“We’ve been here before. HMRC have hinted at one thing and delivered something entirely different”.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be hopeful.

If this does land the way it’s been suggested, it won’t worry compliant umbrellas or compliant agencies. Why? Because they’re already doing the right thing. They’ve got proper partners in place, and those partners already provide full transparency, usually through smart technology and automated audit tools.

The best part? The collaboration across the industry over the past nine months. It’s been brilliant to see people working together to push things forward. Let’s hope this momentum carries on… whatever the legislation ends up looking like.

Finally, a glimmer of hope.

Now, before we all crack open the beers, nothing’s signed yet. And as ContractorUK has outlined, there could be limitations on contractor choice.

Draft legislation is due mid-July. But for the first time in a long time, the direction of travel feels… sane? Massive credit to the people behind the scenes who’ve dragged this to the table.

You know who you are. The market does too.

From CMR, With LinkedIn Love

I share the power of TrustPilot with another 5-star review (along with the reasons why), here.
Candles and caterpillars, as Luke turns THIRTY THREE, here.
Jake’s been leaving people in his wake. Great technique in Windermere, here.

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🔦Spotlight: FCSA Forum 2025 – We Attended (& Sponsored)

Firstly, what a great event and good to see you there if I did.

This year felt different. Less defensive. More forward-looking. That tone was set by new FCSA Chair Kate Jolly, who laid out a clear, confident vision for expansion, not just survival.

She’s right: we are at a pivotal point. The sector is bigger than the old “compliance club” image. We’re touching tech, data, and how the modern workforce operates.

Lord Holmesdelivered what I can only describe as the best ‘tech talk’ I’ve seen in this sector.

No gimmicks, just smart, serious thinking on how AI, blockchain, and real-time data will reshape our operational norms and client expectations.

But if that lifted the mood, Paul Chamberlain FRSA from JMW brought it down slightly. His update on the Employment Rights Bill was, frankly, sobering.

If you’re still treating regulatory change as something to deal with “next year,” don’t. We could be staring at a 6-month lead time.

And finally, an unexpected masterclass from Colin Maclachlan, a former SAS soldier who’s seen more than most of us dare to imagine.

You don’t expect lessons on mental resilience to resonate quite so well at a contractor compliance event, but they did. His message?

Whether you’re navigating a hostage crisis or an HMRC consultation, preparation, clarity, and calm matter more than bravado. Not a bad note to end the day on.