News

22 Mar 2018

BBC and Personal Service Companies

On 19th March, the BBC announced three initiatives to tackle a number of recent questions surrounding people facing retrospective bills from HMRC after being paid through Personal Service Companies (PSC). 

The BBC will, as part of this, set up a fair and independent process, under the supervision of the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR) to formulate a right approach in instances where on-air presenters believe the BBC is partly liable for demands for Employers’ National Insurance Contributions. 

This independent process will enable some on-air presenters, facing historic demands for tax and NI payments to test the circumstances of their engagements via a PSC. Furthermore, a consultation, overseen by CEDR will first consider the criteria which people must meet before their case is accepted. 

Those who qualify will be entitled to have the circumstances around their use of a PSC reviewed. The process will consider whether it is appropriate or reasonable, given the responsibility to the licence fee payer, for the BBC to make any contribution towards the historic demands for Employers National Insurance Contributions issued by HMRC.

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