HMRC loses landmark 584,000 tax battle as referees ruled self-employed

"The tribunal ruled that referees were neither mutually obliged to work for PGMOL nor sufficiently controlled in how they performed their duties to be classed as employees."

"This landmark verdict directly challenges HMRC's very understanding of employment status, exposing a fundamental flaw in the tax office's employment status tool, which is in desperate need of an overhaul."

A tribunal ruled that 60 football referees engaged by PGMOL are genuinely self-employed, contradicting HMRC's claims for nearly a decade. This decision denies HMRC £584,000 in employment taxes. Tax specialists view this as a significant moment for contractors and freelancers in the UK. The ruling highlights flaws in HMRC's Check Employment Status for Tax tool. The tribunal found that referees were not mutually obliged to work for PGMOL and were not sufficiently controlled in their duties to be classified as employees.

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