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More than a third of contractors have been forced out of self-employment over the past 12 months because of the introduction of IR35 reforms, which has potentially reduced employers’ ability to access flexible skills. The Association of Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE) found that 35% of contractors have either moved into permanent employment, begun working overseas, retired, or have not been working since the changes to off-payroll working in the private sector were implemented in April 2021. The changes meant that the responsibility for determining the employment status of a contractor shifted to the organisation using their services, which campaigners believed would put organisations off using contract workers. Many continuing to work in contract roles have turned to an umbrella company (34%), or are working through engagements deemed inside IR35. One in 10 respondents to IPSE’s survey said their clients had implemented a blanket ban on all contractors, while one in five said their clients had blanket assessed all contact engagements as within IR35. IPSE director of policy Andy Chamberlain said that contractors were “vital” for economic recovery as they provided flexible skills to businesses trying to upscale or adapt following the pandemic. He urged the government to review the IR35 reforms in the private sector and to be open to repealing them if needed. “This research shows the devastating impact the changes to IR35 have had on contractors, needlessly compounding the financial damage of the pandemic and the unnecessary gaps in support. Now, just when contractors are