Tax | BBC presenters contract case 'nail in the coffin' for CEST tool

IPSE has criticised HMRC’s CEST (Check Employment Status for Tax) tool, describing it as “not fit for purpose” following claims against the BBC revealed problems with its calculations.

The tool, launched in 2017, was designed to help employers and workers decide if they should be classed as employed or self-employed for tax purposes. According to the BBC representatives, the presenters’ self-employed status was deemed legitimate before the introduction of CEST, but the tool found 95% of them should instead be considered employees.