The Loose Women panelists have reportedly found themselves “stuck in a checkout line” and are “threatening to quit” due to problems with their tax payments.
ITV has run into several issues with HMRC and the tax paid by its presenters in recent years, as the government department argues that they are effectively employees of the broadcaster.
This has included Lorraine Kelly, whose case went to court but escaped the £1.2m tax bill because she is being hired as a ‘character-playing stage artist’.
Instead of being an ITV employee, Lorraine was hired as an entertainer to play “the role of a friendly, talkative and fun personality”.
and now according to Mirrorthe Loose Women stars are now in a similar situation and have been ‘in talks’ for ‘several weeks’ and have said they will ‘leave’ if ‘the situation is not fixed’.
Row: Loose Women panelists have reportedly “wrapped themselves in a pay row” and are “threatening to quit” due to problems with their tax payments
The publication reports that some of the presenters work independently, which would make them freelancers.
Someone can be classified as self-employed, therefore self-employed, if you are responsible for the success or failure of your business in terms of profit and loss, you can choose the hours you work, when you work and how you work and if they are free to work for other companies or take on another job.
A person is classified as an employee if they have a contract for the provision of work or personal services, show up for work even if they do not want to, or if there is work for that person for the duration of the contract or contract.
A source told the publication: ‘They have all been self-employed for decades. Their accountants say no, they are self-employed… and they don’t go to PAYE.
“They are very strict about it and we are talking about the great players.”
The Mirror also claims that some of the presenters have “been told” to have a PAYE contract, increasing their corporation tax from 19 per cent to 40 per cent of their earnings between £50,271 and £150,000, as well as National Insurance. .
MailOnline has contacted ITV for comment.
This time last year, Lorraine Kelly addressed her 2019 tax court case and said, “I don’t want people to think that I would do anything to avoid paying what they should.”
Pay: ITV has run into several issues with HMRC and the tax paid by its presenters in recent years, as the government department argues that they are effectively employees of the broadcaster.
The Scottish TV presenter made headlines when she won a £1.2m battle with HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC).
A judge said the Scottish star was a ‘theatrical performer’ who ‘presents a personality of her own’ and agreed that she was not an ITV employee and was instead hired to play ‘the role of a friendly, talkative personality’. and funny’.
Kelly, 62, said The Guardian she was happy to take on the case “because I never got a chance to put my side of the story out there.”
She added: ‘I’m a firm believer in the NHS, a firm believer in better education and housing and caring for people who can’t help themselves.
“I was raised in a very working-class environment where you pay your dues.”
Kelly’s break on screen came in 1984 when she joined TV-am and since then she has become a familiar face on the small screen, hosting her hugely popular daily talk show Lorraine since 2010.
She told the newspaper that she could “live with” the joy brought about by the ruling, which suggested that she was essentially playing the part of Lorraine Kelly.
HMRC had argued that Kelly is effectively an ITV employee and should be subject to income tax and National Insurance payments.
But the judge ruled that she was hired for her services as an entertainer and had control of both her workday and her show.
“We are pleased that Ms Kelly presents a personality of her own, presents herself as a brand and that is the brand that ITV sought when hiring her,” the judge said.
“All parts of the show are a performance, the act is to play the role of a friendly, talkative and fun personality.”
Gain: This has included Lorraine Kelly, whose case went to court but escaped the £1.2m tax bill because she is being hired as a ‘character-playing stage artist’. Instead of being an ITV employee, Lorraine was hired as an entertainer to play “the role of a friendly, talkative and fun personality”.
Talks: And now, according to The Mirror, the Loose Women stars are now in a similar situation and have been ‘in talks’ for ‘several weeks’ and have said they will ‘leave’ if the ‘situation is not fixed’