The collective force of 46,423 freelance builders

We audited, contracted, verified and paid 46,423 labour-only subbies (operatives) in the last tax year. That’s 46,423 operatives Hudson Contract declared as self-employed to HMRC, and £1bn of income accounted for under CIS.  The sheer scale of the numbers made me reflect a little.

Forty-six thousand four hundred and twenty-three of the most highly skilled, flexible and self motivated construction workers in the country.

Combined, and with the expert coordination and planning input of the 2,000 specialists who make use of them – our clients –  they could easily deliver any of the landmark projects we hear about:  the Shard, Crossrail, Hinkley Point, or HS2.  In the post-Brexit world, harnessing this resource will be vital to the ongoing success of the UK construction sector and the nation’s finances.   

But whilst the industry needs the operatives, the taxman needs to hit his targets, so that’s 46,423 freelance builders whose self-employed status is declared to HMRC under the complex, ever-changing statutory laws governing Hudson Contract’s conduct as an Onshore Employment Intermediary.

Not something we take lightly, but in 46,423 individual applications, it’s a responsibility we’ve undertaken completely, with measured justification backed up by layered Audit processes, designed with an absolute commitment to our clients and operatives to take full responsibility for compliance so that any status risk rests with Hudson Contract and Hudson Contract alone.

It’s 46,423 freelance builders whose individual Contract has been signed and delivered to our office. Not one of the operatives has been recruited by us because we are not an employment agency.  Not one of the operatives has been told by us where to go, who to work for nor what to do because they are self-employed and entirely capable of deciding these things for themselves.  

Our contract has been accepted by the courts and tribunals to reflect the rights of the self-employed operative.  As any worthwhile contract should, it sets out the parameters of risk and reward for those who sign up to it, preventing anyone from coming back for a second bite of the cherry by claiming to be an employee or worker.  Despite claims being brought by no-win-no-fee lawyers and union officials over the years, all allegations of a denial of rights have failed, and have been proved to lack any legitimacy. 

And 46,423 freelance builders who have received funds from us on time, and without disruption. Last year we made over 1.1 million Payroll payments.  Each one in accordance with the agreement and instructions of clients.  Each one in a timely manner.  Each one of them without any deduction from the operatives themselves other than for CIS at the level instructed by HMRC.  And every single payment confirmed to each individual.

46,423 instances where Hudson Contract has acted as an Audit, Contract and Payroll service, for and on behalf of over 2,000 construction firms. 

Our services are strictly – and I suspect singularly – those with full compliance under statutory laws.The collective strength given to Hudson Contract by our clients and operatives has enabled us to become leaders not followers, setting the standards that others fail to emulate.

Not all construction workers need or want to be pinned down to restrictive and unsustainable employment models.  We are here to champion Freelance Builders.