The International Visual Communications Association (IVCA) supports actions that they say will significantly reduce red-tape and make the National Insurance system considerably more transparent.

The IVCA, which has been campaigning on the issue of actors' National Insurance payments for two years, could finally see some genuine reform taking place in the near future. This comes as a result of HMRC launching a public consultation into the issue.

The proposed changes will see actors reclassified as self-employed from 'employed earners' and liable to pay Class 2 and 4 National Insurance contributions. There is some concern from the trade union Equity that the alteration means that actors won’t qualify for some vital benefits that supplement their income under the new Universal Credit benefits system. However HMRC has assured Equity members that they will not lose out under Universal Credit if they are re-categorized as self-employed.