CITB Construction skills

A question about : CITB Construction skills

I hope that someone can help me?

I have received a letter this morning from CITB Construction SKills asking me for a whopping Ј1234.00..

Apparantly because I have paid employees and subcontractors more than Ј80K, I have to pay a % to CITB????

I simply cannot believe this! I cant afford it and I dont see why I should pay? I get less than that from them in payments for our Apprentice and the whole reason that we signed up with them was to get the payments for the Apprenitice.

I feel like if you do everything 'by the book' you just get stung for more and more money.

I wont pay this. I dont care what they do. They way I feel at the moment they can take the fcking lot. Whats the point of working?

(sorry for the rant I am a little bit upset..)

Best answers:

• The problem you have is that you have registered with them i.e. applied for a grant.
  I'm not sure about current regulations regarding the CITB levy but they used to be able to impose 0.5% levy on direct employee wages and 1.5% on labour only subbies, all to be paid by the employer, however "THE EMPLOYER" is a bit of an anomaly as a subbie can't be employed by a third party.
• How do they work out these ridiculous charges anyway? it isnt even based on profit! some of our work might be Ј500 paid to the subbie and just Ј20 or Ј30 to us - we pay tax on that already, so they might even end up getting more money than we actuially make???
  (sorry can you tell I am a little bit mad )
• You are employing people in the construction industry.
  Why shouldn't you pay the levy just the same as anyone else in the same position?
• Hi Lifesbut,
  If your in FSB you could give them a ring for some advice.....Ive wanted to take on an apprentice for a few years now but because of the regulations and costs involved its just not worth it....Sad but true.
• Have you checked the calculation to make sure that it is correct? The levy should only be charged on labolur-only subbies, so might be worth checking to see if yours are really supply & fix.
  Also you can pay by instalments, I believe. Finally are there any other grants you can claim?
• We have not registered with the above, but we have recived a bill, can they do this?
• There was a statutory requirement for Companies in the construction industry to pay the levy once they had reached the Ј80k pa threashold.
  I am a little out of touch with the rules surrounding the CITB levy but will ask around.
  Your accountant should be able to asdvise you or put you in touch with someone who can.
• if you have paid contractors 80k then you must of made somwhere near that on top?
• Bit of a shocker but the scheme is well advertised and clear on their site. All construction employers with salary bill of Ј80k+ are liable, whether they register with CITB or not, or get grants or not.
  I don't think you've got much hope of avoiding this. They do accept monthly payments, so call them to make an arrangement. If you don't you'll get charged interest as well.
  Double check this assessment is correct though - as you were a partnership at the time you should know that partners wages should not be included - that might be enough to drop you below the limit again.
  However directors wages are included, so be careful next year, try and keep your subs bills a bit lower.
• Hope it all turns around for you Lifesbut, keep your chin up and don't let that bar stewards get you down,don't let them win....
  Ive been self employed for 25years and its far tougher than many think and although Nu-Labour did a few good things they have completey fooked small business, just kept taking the golden egss from the golden Goose (Banking sector).........
  Good luck and hope you keep posting x.........Leveller