[Dave Willis]

As some of you may be aware I have to attend a court case as a witness soon. Shouldn't be to much of a problem, after all the solicitors informed me I would lose no money and would just need to submit my earnings to them as proof.
I sent them last years accountants report and divided my gross earnings by the number of workable days. Reasonable figure.

Today I get a witness summons with a fifty quid check stapled to it - I hit the roof! Apparently the solicitor had to rush the paperwork through court so put £50 off the top of her head. I told her to stick my court appearance - "can't do that you'll be fined by the court".
After much arguing they have agreed to send a further £50 which is way short of my calculations.
They insist I'm only entitled to a days loss of earnings based on my NET PROFIT for the year and not  GROSS INCOME
There's something like £7000 between the two - how can this be fair for anyone self employed?
Does this happen for jury service too?
Imagine if your figures were deliberately low to avoid tax 

[NWH]

How long did you have to attend for did you say a day.

[tlwcs]

Ring in sick or send solar Steve !

[Dave Willis]

I haven't attended yet - next Friday.

[andyM]

As some of you may be aware I have to attend a court case as a witness soon. Shouldn't be to much of a problem, after all the solicitors informed me I would lose no money and would just need to submit my earnings to them as proof.
I sent them last years accountants report and divided my gross earnings by the number of workable days. Reasonable figure.

Today I get a witness summons with a fifty quid check stapled to it - I hit the roof! Apparently the solicitor had to rush the paperwork through court so put £50 off the top of her head. I told her to stick my court appearance - "can't do that you'll be fined by the court".
After much arguing they have agreed to send a further £50 which is way short of my calculations.
They insist I'm only entitled to a days loss of earnings based on my NET PROFIT for the year and not  GROSS INCOME
There's something like £7000 between the two - how can this be fair for anyone self employed?
Does this happen for jury service too?
Imagine if your figures were deliberately low to avoid tax 

I presume you will still have to include that as income on your Tax return, so will that be subject to income tax?

[Dave Willis]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

[Walter Mitty]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

I reckon it should be based on net profit without deduction for tax/class4 NI.
However, if they pay you the gross amount,  surely it should be declared as normal income and taxed accordingly.
I'm thinking that either way would work.
The idea is that you are not out of pocket and also that you don't make extra money for doing it.
I'm wondering how someone woud get on if their business showed a loss for the previous year.
The system is very unfair for someone who had extraordinary business expenditure for the previous year.
The fairest way would be to take an average of the previous few years and add an inflation factor.

[jk999]

so dave if it rains can they refuse to pay saying that you wouldn't been working anyway because off bad weather lol

[Dave Willis]

That's the only way I come out of it smiling.  Everyone in that court room will be there to make money apart from me. No doubt the woman in the car that was hit will claim for whiplash, loss of earnings, discomfort and damage. Last time I ever offer to be a witness I can tell you.

[Dave Willis]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

I reckon it should be based on net profit without deduction for tax/class4 NI.
However, if they pay you the gross amount,  surely it should be declared as normal income and taxed accordingly.
I'm thinking that either way would work.
The idea is that you are not out of pocket and also that you don't make extra money for doing it.
I'm wondering how someone woud get on if their business showed a loss for the previous year.
The system is very unfair for someone who had extraordinary business expenditure for the previous year.
The fairest way would be to take an average of the previous few years and add an inflation factor.

Why should it be based on net profit? I still have to cover my business outgoings, they don't stop whilst in court. If it was jury service on a long murder case how on earth would you get sufficient income or even catch up on lost work?

[andyM]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

I reckon it should be based on net profit without deduction for tax/class4 NI.
However, if they pay you the gross amount,  surely it should be declared as normal income and taxed accordingly.
I'm thinking that either way would work.
The idea is that you are not out of pocket and also that you don't make extra money for doing it.
I'm wondering how someone woud get on if their business showed a loss for the previous year.
The system is very unfair for someone who had extraordinary business expenditure for the previous year.
The fairest way would be to take an average of the previous few years and add an inflation factor.

Why should it be based on net profit? I still have to cover my business outgoings, they don't stop whilst in court. If it was jury service on a long murder case how on earth would you get sufficient income or even catch up on lost work?

I agree with you Dave.
 

[SeanK]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

I reckon it should be based on net profit without deduction for tax/class4 NI.
However, if they pay you the gross amount,  surely it should be declared as normal income and taxed accordingly.
I'm thinking that either way would work.
The idea is that you are not out of pocket and also that you don't make extra money for doing it.
I'm wondering how someone woud get on if their business showed a loss for the previous year.
The system is very unfair for someone who had extraordinary business expenditure for the previous year.
The fairest way would be to take an average of the previous few years and add an inflation factor.

Why should it be based on net profit? I still have to cover my business outgoings, they don't stop whilst in court. If it was jury service on a long murder case how on earth would you get sufficient income or even catch up on lost work?

You wouldn't, I was on jury service as a PAYE employed worker and lost a fortune, you only get paid for the hours your there
up to a limit so if your not picked for the jury on the day you are sent home with maybe 1 or 2 hours allowance even though I couldn't go into work as my employers had already got my job covered by somebody else.
So it actually cost my employers money as they had to pay overtime cover as well as me.

[deeege]

Have you been subpoena'd by the court?

If not don't bother showing up, unless you like losing money that is.

[deeege]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

I reckon it should be based on net profit without deduction for tax/class4 NI.
However, if they pay you the gross amount,  surely it should be declared as normal income and taxed accordingly.
I'm thinking that either way would work.
The idea is that you are not out of pocket and also that you don't make extra money for doing it.
I'm wondering how someone woud get on if their business showed a loss for the previous year.
The system is very unfair for someone who had extraordinary business expenditure for the previous year.
The fairest way would be to take an average of the previous few years and add an inflation factor.

Why should it be based on net profit? I still have to cover my business outgoings, they don't stop whilst in court. If it was jury service on a long murder case how on earth would you get sufficient income or even catch up on lost work?

You wouldn't, I was on jury service as a PAYE employed worker and lost a fortune, you only get paid for the hours your there
up to a limit so if your not picked for the jury on the day you are sent home with maybe 1 or 2 hours allowance even though I couldn't go into work as my employers had already got my job covered by somebody else.
So it actually cost my employers money as they had to pay overtime cover as well as me.

Sorry mate but anybody unable to get out of jury service whether employed or self employed has to be a bit simple.

[SeanK]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

I reckon it should be based on net profit without deduction for tax/class4 NI.
However, if they pay you the gross amount,  surely it should be declared as normal income and taxed accordingly.
I'm thinking that either way would work.
The idea is that you are not out of pocket and also that you don't make extra money for doing it.
I'm wondering how someone woud get on if their business showed a loss for the previous year.
The system is very unfair for someone who had extraordinary business expenditure for the previous year.
The fairest way would be to take an average of the previous few years and add an inflation factor.

Why should it be based on net profit? I still have to cover my business outgoings, they don't stop whilst in court. If it was jury service on a long murder case how on earth would you get sufficient income or even catch up on lost work?

You wouldn't, I was on jury service as a PAYE employed worker and lost a fortune, you only get paid for the hours your there
up to a limit so if your not picked for the jury on the day you are sent home with maybe 1 or 2 hours allowance even though I couldn't go into work as my employers had already got my job covered by somebody else.
So it actually cost my employers money as they had to pay overtime cover as well as me.

Sorry mate but anybody unable to get out of jury service whether employed or self employed has to be a bit simple.

Simple for not knowing how to get out of Jury service, that's a bit harsh even by ciu standards.

[capn sparkle]

As some of you may be aware I have to attend a court case as a witness soon. Shouldn't be to much of a problem, after all the solicitors informed me I would lose no money and would just need to submit my earnings to them as proof.
I sent them last years accountants report and divided my gross earnings by the number of workable days. Reasonable figure.

Today I get a witness summons with a fifty quid check stapled to it - I hit the roof! Apparently the solicitor had to rush the paperwork through court so put £50 off the top of her head. I told her to stick my court appearance - "can't do that you'll be fined by the court".
After much arguing they have agreed to send a further £50 which is way short of my calculations.
They insist I'm only entitled to a days loss of earnings based on my NET PROFIT for the year and not  GROSS INCOME
There's something like £7000 between the two - how can this be fair for anyone self employed?
Does this happen for jury service too?
Imagine if your figures were deliberately low to avoid tax 

Dave I love your posts!!

Solicitor @ £200 + V.A.T

15 mins to think of response
5 mins to type response
5 mins loo break
2 mins to order lackey on mission to Starbucks
3 mins to berate lackey for incorrect order

Invoice billing amount £100 + V.A.T = £120

Send 'em a cheque for £20 and go to work instead 

[deeege]

The tax is taken out of too it I think.

I reckon it should be based on net profit without deduction for tax/class4 NI.
However, if they pay you the gross amount,  surely it should be declared as normal income and taxed accordingly.
I'm thinking that either way would work.
The idea is that you are not out of pocket and also that you don't make extra money for doing it.
I'm wondering how someone woud get on if their business showed a loss for the previous year.
The system is very unfair for someone who had extraordinary business expenditure for the previous year.
The fairest way would be to take an average of the previous few years and add an inflation factor.

Why should it be based on net profit? I still have to cover my business outgoings, they don't stop whilst in court. If it was jury service on a long murder case how on earth would you get sufficient income or even catch up on lost work?

You wouldn't, I was on jury service as a PAYE employed worker and lost a fortune, you only get paid for the hours your there
up to a limit so if your not picked for the jury on the day you are sent home with maybe 1 or 2 hours allowance even though I couldn't go into work as my employers had already got my job covered by somebody else.
So it actually cost my employers money as they had to pay overtime cover as well as me.

Sorry mate but anybody unable to get out of jury service whether employed or self employed has to be a bit simple.

Simple for not knowing how to get out of Jury service, that's a bit harsh even by ciu standards.

Getting out of jury service isn't difficult. If you didn't get out of it and it "cost you a fortune" then unlucky.

[Rich Wilts]

Cant you phone in sick? Seriously.

'Hello, look I've got the craps, and keep having to leg it to the bog every ten minutes, it  must've been something I ate last night'.

[jk999]

Since when has Dave said it was jury service

[Dave Willis]

Cant you phone in sick? Seriously.

'Hello, look I've got the craps, and keep having to leg it to the bog every ten minutes, it  must've been something I ate last night'.

Too late now - I've had 40,000 leaflets printed to hand round court.