Those numbers from the mid-2000s are sort of irrelevant because the rules got tightened up a LOT more since then, which leaves you only with that first bit in which you're trying to claim that lack of data is support for your case.

The reason there's no 2020s statistics on "how much money did IR35 bring in" is because such a statistic would rely on the calculation of a counterfactual based on how the world worked in the 20th century, making it effectively meaningless as a statistic.

I can however tell you firsthand that I know several people personally whose clients have been forced to take them on as regular staff within the last five years due to recent crackdowns.

Also, one interesting thing I noticed searching just now, is that almost every single piece about IR35 is written by organisations and groups who very much enjoyed not paying tax, so it's almost entirely hit pieces...

[–] grindemup@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago

To be honest I don't have a case to make, I just found it a bit glaring that you mentioned it was "easy to fix" but then referenced an article which didn't really provide any clear evidence for that. I'm entirely open to the idea of IR35 (though to be honest I haven't considered it closely), and I can easily believe there are lots of hit pieces, but if it is as easily effective as you claim then there should be academic articles providing evidence even despite the confounding factors.