[markmarkymark]

Yo all...

A bit of advice please (from any who are in the know). I know I can go to an accountant - but your thoughts also count !

Basically I have a full time PAYE job.

I also have a soletrader consultancy (gives safety advice - no physical products sold).

I use self assessment to deal with the sole trader profits etc ...

Now , things are getting busy and I have no more time to do the consultancy side and I need some help. I do not need too much help, it will not be required on a regular basis (more like three or four times a year). The important thing is the help will be four my consultancy (i.e. they do it in the name of my consultancy - rather than in their own name) ...

Now... I want this to be simple as possible. Therefore I do not want them as an employee (cos I have all the horrible tax and NI to sort).

So - can I get away with paying them as a contactor? If I do they have to sort out their own tax. Therefore do they need to declare that they are 'self-employed' - I guess they do?

The problem is that to be self employed means that you take a lot of responsbilitt for your own actions / control your own work - which is not wha t I want since they will be doing the work for me ....

.... then that sounds more like an employee. But, what If I need them for only four times a year at fixed cost (i.e. I pay them a set amount for getting a job done), then am I really then making things complicated ??????

any advice would be great !

CHEERS

Mark