You're wrong on 2 counts.
The HMRC are closing down on EBTs - Employees Benefits Trusts, where wages are paid as loans, Self employed people do not have employers and do not get paid wages. Secondly this is nothing like the set up Jimmy Carr had going, he was not found guilty of anything and he was at no stage ordered to pay money back. He OFFERED to pay money back as a gesture of goodwill and to basically save face and whatever rep he had left.
Possibly get your facts together mate, and if you fancy going into work for me tomorrow please feel free to do so.
1. EBTs are a totally a separate tax scheme, which are also being attacked.
2. K2 and other loan schemes are under investigation, likely to be closed down with resulting tax, interest and penalties.
3. Beyond that, I don't know or care. That's why I pay a tax advisor.
4. You can't be found "guilty" of tax avoidance unless you have committed a criminal act (i.e. fraud). That term is meaningless.
5. It's more likely he offered to pay the money back as part of a deal to avoid penalties rather than just to save face, although that was probably part of it.
6. Hardly with any significant income is self-employed. You form a limited company and are employed by that company (which involves taking wages, typically about 8-10k a year) along with taking dividends as a shareholder.
Possibly get your facts together mate, and if you fancy going into work for me tomorrow please feel free to do so.
I have no idea what this means.
Like I said, I don't claim to be a tax expert or accountant by any stretch. I'm just curious why someone who claims to be one (or tax consultant, whatever) gets basic facts wrong such as IR35 being about self-employment as opposed to about using intermediaries?