Tax affairs of BBC higher earners questioned by authorities
It has been revealed that a number of high-profile and highly paid presenters at the BBC are officially employed on a freelance basis despite the fact that they are for all intensive and purposes full-time members of staff. It is alleged that a number of these high paid presenters have set up their own private companies into which their income from the BBC is paid in order to take advantage of more liberal tax regulations for "freelancers".
It is also estimated that the move, if true, has saved the BBC hundreds of thousands of pounds in national insurance contributions for which they are not liable on behalf of freelance staff. While the situation is a little confusing and we await further details, if they are ever forthcoming, the very fact that these potential tax vehicles and tax savings are available is something of an embarrassment to the UK government and HMRC.
Yet again it seems that with the UK government set to introduce a 50p tax levy on high earners, tax experts and tax advisers have yet again found a way around these regulations. While HMRC has apparently warned the BBC that these practices are unacceptable it would appear that many of these tax schemes are still in place. We await further news and developments on this particular story.
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