--- title: Tribunal rules BBC journalist is caught by ‘IR35’ legislation description: Look North Journalist Christa Ackroyd has faced a tribunal for failing to comply with the recently amended IR35 legislation. image: https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Judge%20ruling%20IR35%20tax%20penalty%20fine%20to%20journalist.jpeg --- [![Shorts_logo_White](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/New%20Site%202018/Shorts_logo_White.svg "Shorts_logo_White")](https://www.shorts.uk.com/) [Blogs & News](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/) > [Private Client](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/private-client) # Tribunal rules BBC journalist is caught by ‘IR35’ legislation Jo Grant - 21 March 2018 ###### Select topic - Please Select - [ Audit ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/audit) [ Business Taxes ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/business-taxes) [ Radius – R&D Tax Relief & Patent Box ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/radius-rd-tax-relief-patent-box) [ Corporate Finance ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/corporate-finance) [ GENUS Management Accounts ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/genus-management-accounts) [ VAT ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/vat) [ Private Client ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/private-client) [ Payroll ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/payroll) [ EOT ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/eot) [ International Taxes ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/international-taxes) ![featured image](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Judge%20ruling%20IR35%20tax%20penalty%20fine%20to%20journalist.jpeg) ###### A First Tier Tribunal has ruled that Christa Ackroyd who presented BBC news programme Look North and was paid via a personal service company was caught by the IR35 rules resulting in additional tax and national insurance contributions being payable. The IR35 rules in broad terms mean that those working via a personal service company have to consider whether, if the services were provided by the individual contractor directly to the client, there would be a contract of employment. The tribunal looked at lots of factors pertinent to Ms Ackroyd’s engagement and considered it significant that the BBC could control what work she did. She was engaged for seven years on effectively a full time basis. Subject to any appeal and determination of final figures, the tax and NIC that Ms Ackroyd will be liable for amounts to around £420,000 before offset of corporation tax. The IR35 rules were amended for Public Bodies (including the BBC) from April 2017 and the government has announced that it may make changes to the rules for the private sector as well in the future. If you would like to discuss how this legislation affects you or your workers, please do not hesitate to [contact one of our specialists. ](https://www.shorts.uk.com/contact-us/) [![Contact us](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/2442072/27ed3297-05cb-4553-843b-b5e5a88bcc03.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/2442072/27ed3297-05cb-4553-843b-b5e5a88bcc03) Other relevant articles; - [HMRC focus on employment status of subcontractors](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hmrc-focus-on-employment-status-of-subcontractors) - [Need to make payments to the HMRC? ](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/need-to-make-payments-to-hmrc) - [HMRC crackdown continues; is your VAT return coming under scrutiny?](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hmrc-crackdown-continues-is-your-vat-return-coming-under-scrutiny)   **Internet link:** [ICAEW News](https://economia.icaew.com/en/news/february-2018/hmrc-wins-ir35-case-against-bbc-presenter)  ![author](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/1678438830033-1.jpg) #### Jo Grant Jo is the Senior Marketing Manager at Shorts Chartered Accountants. [View my articles](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/author/jo-grant) Tags: [Private Client](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/private-client), [Business Taxes](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/topic/business-taxes) Share this on - - - [Questions? Get in touch with us](https://www.shorts.uk.com/contact/) ###### Tax Saving Guide 2026-27 Written especially for entrepreneurs and owner-managed businesses, this guide is full of planning ideas and tax risks to avoid. [ Download now ](https://info.shorts.uk.com/en-gb/tax-saving-guide) ![Tax saving guide 2026-27](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Tax%20saving%20guide%202024.jpg?width=375&height=465&name=Tax%20saving%20guide%202024.jpg) ###### Related articles ##### [IR35 off payroll working – How does it affect my business?](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/ir35-off-payroll-working) ##### [National Insurance Contributions (NIC) - Rates & Allowances (2025/26)](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/national-insurance-contributions-nic-rates-allowances-2025/26) ##### [Andy Irvine elected to Global Board of Praxity](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/andy-irvine-appointed-global-board-praxity) ##### [Protection for Business Owners – Inc. Life Cover & Critical Illness](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/protection-for-business-owners) ###### Latest articles [A case of aggressive tax avoidance: Glasgow Rangers Football Club](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/aggressive-tax-avoidance-affect-you) [What is VAT? - Complete Guide (Updated for 2025/26)](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/what-is-vat) [Ashgate Hospice Sparkle Night Walk 2026](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/ashgate-hospice-sparkle-night-walk-2026) [Stocktaking guide for UK businesses](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/stocktaking-guide-for-uk-businesses) [Supporting the Chatsworth Cascade for future generations](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/supporting-the-chatsworth-cascade-for-future-generations) [Deal of the Year win at Insider Dealmakers Awards 2026](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/deal-of-the-year-win-at-insider-dealmakers-awards-2026) [Football shirt Wednesday: Backing England in style](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/football-shirt-wednesday-backing-england-in-style) [Understanding lifetime trusts: the basics](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/understanding-lifetime-trusts-the-basics) [Close company directors face new HMRC detail requirements in 2026](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/close-company-directors-face-new-hmrc-detail-requirements-in-2026) [Shorts advise Harris Irwin Architects on successful growth funding.](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/shorts-advise-harris-irwin-architects-on-successful-growth-funding) #### About Us Use this little footer to reinforce your message about who you are and why people love working with you. And since this is a global module, you only have to edit it once to make the changes across every page it appears on. [Learn More [fa icon="long-arrow-right"]](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/tribunal-bbc-journalist-ir35-legislation#) #### More Links #### Contact Us [fa icon="phone"]   [fa icon="envelope"]  [yourname@company.com](mailto:yourname@company.com) [fa icon="home"]  Cedar House, 63 Napier Street, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S11 8HN, | 2 Ashgate Road, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, S40 4AA | (0114) 2671617 / (01246) 559955 [[fa icon="facebook-square"]Facebook](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/tribunal-bbc-journalist-ir35-legislation#) [[fa icon="linkedin-square"]Linkedin](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/tribunal-bbc-journalist-ir35-legislation#) [[fa icon="twitter-square"]Twitter](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/tribunal-bbc-journalist-ir35-legislation#) [[fa icon="pinterest-square"]Pinterest](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/tribunal-bbc-journalist-ir35-legislation#) Copyright 2026 | Designed with [fa icon="heart"] by [HubSpot](https://www.hubspot.com) [[fa icon="chevron-up"]Back to top](https://blog.shorts.uk.com/tribunal-bbc-journalist-ir35-legislation#) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Jo Grant", "url" : "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/author/jo-grant" }, "dateModified" : "2020-02-27T08:35:00.354Z", "datePublished" : "2018-03-21T09:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "Tribunal rules BBC journalist is caught by ‘IR35’ legislation", "image" : [ "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/Stock%20images/Judge%20ruling%20IR35%20tax%20penalty%20fine%20to%20journalist.jpeg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/tribunal-bbc-journalist-ir35-legislation", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.shorts.uk.com/hubfs/2018%20Shorts%20logo%20with%20transparent%20background%20.png" }, "name" : "Shorts" } } ```