The Government has announced that they will repeal the current National Insurance regulations in respect of entertainers, which is great news for Musicians working in the theatre.
http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/news/2013/10/23/good-news-on-national-insurance-and-thank-you/
This would be of huge benefit to musicians. You don’t have to be in the Musicians Union to do it. It takes 10 seconds.
http://www.musiciansunion.org.uk/news/2013/05/16/urgent
Over the past six months, the MU have been trying to get the Government and HMRC to change the regulations that state that self-employed musicians now fall under Class 1 National Insurance (NI).
The current situation poses huge problems for musicians and for those who engage musicians as a result of them having to pay employees’/employers’ NI.
Film producers, who bring lucrative inward investment into the UK’s creative economy by way of recording soundtracks for films, are expressing concern about engaging UK musicians as a result of the extra expense. If these regulations are not repealed, we may also see the closure of a number of orchestras.
A consultation document has now been published by HMRC which supports the MU’s arguments, but it is vital that as many musicians as possible respond.
