Vanessa Pearson (Ely)

Vanessa trained with Whiting & Partners after leaving Sussex University with a BSc degree in Mathematics. She gained her AAT qualification within 18 months, and is now a Fellow Member of the Association of Accounting Technicians. After a short time working in Cambridge, Vanessa returned to Whiting & Partners in 2007.

With over 20 years of general practice experience, she now manages an extensive portfolio of clients. Based at our Ely office, Vanessa specialises in Small and Medium Enterprises (SME’s), most of which are owner managed businesses. Vanessa heads up our Contractor specialism and is a member of the firms specialist Corporation Tax Group, with a particular interest in technology companies.

Outside of work, Vanessa is a member of the service organisation Lions Club International. She is an active member of the Women's Institute and enjoys music, cooking, crafts and spending time with her family.

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My Latest Blogs

Vanessa Pearson

13th December 2019 April 2020 Proposed IR35 changes: Status appeals process

As the planned changes to who determines IR35 status are fast approaching, contractors would be well advised to review their contracts on HMRC’s updated CEST (Check Employment Status for Tax) tool. Having provided answers to questions regarding substitution, control and nature of the work, the updated tool will give HMRC’s view of the workers employment…

Vanessa Pearson

28th October 2019 Off-Payroll Worker Tax Rules: Be prepared!

Knowledge based contractors working in the private sector will hopefully now be well aware that, subject to any possible Government last minute change of heart, new tax rules are coming next April. For many, who are not currently following IR35 rules, this will mean a large increase in the tax they pay; perhaps tens of…

Vanessa Pearson

15th July 2019 IR35: private sector off-payroll rules for contractors

This week HMRC have published draft legislation that will affect private sector personal services companies (PSCs) from 6 April 2020. PSC’s supplying services to medium or large-sized organisations will no longer decide if they are employed or self-employed, the end engager will assess this. If caught by these rules, known as IR35, employment taxes and…

Vanessa Pearson

8th May 2019 Lorraine Kelly wins IR35 battle with HMRC; would you?

A recent series of HMRC high-profile court cases have brought Contractors back into the tax spotlight. TV presenters Lorraine Kelly, Kay Adams and Christa Ackroyd have all defended their working practices with mixed success. HMRC claimed all three should have been taxed as employees rather than business owners. HMRC won the case against Ackroyd…

Vanessa Pearson

6th March 2019 HMRC wants your opinion – IR35 private sector consultation opens

The expected consultation period to roll out “off-payroll working rules” to the private sector has begun. HMRC propose that, from April 2020, medium and large sized private sector end-clients will be responsible for deciding if workers fees will be subject to PAYE and national insurance. The consultation document advises HMRC will seek to address…

Vanessa Pearson

31st October 2018 Budget 2018: IR35 rules change for private sector

The Autumn Budget 2018 confirmed that many private sector contractors will no longer be responsible for deciding if they are caught by the IR35 rules. Engagers who are medium or large organisations will now decide the IR35 status of the PSCs they contract with. What will constitute a medium or large organisation? It is not…

Vanessa Pearson

19th October 2018 Increasing publicity over IR35

In the run up to the Autumn Budget, where it is widely speculated the Government will clamp down on IR35 in the private sector, barely a week goes by without another IR35 case being in the news. Employment tribunal claims are increasingly being launched by those caught by the IR35 reforms of the public sector.…

Vanessa Pearson

28th June 2018 Career Change? Think Contracting.

There are many benefits over employment, writes Whiting & Partners Contract Specialist, Vanessa Pearson Changing careers can be a challenge but leaving the employment wage treadmill to become a contractor can increase your earnings, saving on tax and national insurance as well as providing more flexible working hours. Contractors are essentially self-employed individuals who…

Vanessa Pearson

18th June 2018 Public Sector contractor wins IR35 case

HMRC have lost a second IR35 case this year, and their second case against the same contractor, putting into doubt their own understanding of the IR35 rules. Ian Wells, director of personal service company Jensal Software Limited provided his services to the Department of Work and Pensions via a recruitment agency during 2012 and 2013.…

Vanessa Pearson

5th April 2018 HMRC loses IR35 case

A contractor in the construction industry, Mark Daniels, has won his appeal against HMRC. In MDCM Ltd v Revenue & Customs, HMRC were defending their decision that a contract between Mr Daniels’ personal service company MDMC Ltd and recruitment agency Solutions, which provided his services to Structure Tone Ltd, should have been caught by…

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Vanessa Pearson (Ely)

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