I too am glad this issue has been raised and that the various costs to
a freelancer usually hidden from someone commissioning freelance work
(or else needs pointing out which is a pain in itself). I have been
questioned by my freelance rate in the past and have also found that
some organisations expect quite a lot of follow up for the one-off day
rate (say £200) they have paid. It's difficult always to know how
rigid to be (and therefore risk losing a potential future project) and
where to draw the line (e.g. come on now, it's two years on, you can't
still keep asking me to do things).
The other thing that I find is difficult to explain apart from
overheads is that we have to pay our NI and taxes ourselves on account
after the first year of profit, this means, as you will all know,
having to keep much more aside than anyone on PAYE just to keep the
taxman/woman happy (and I know that payment on account has caught out
many freelancers in the past as they were just not aware of it).
My last point is that it is freelancers who should set rates not those
commissioning the work. It is fair for an organisation to say this is
the budget but I find it patronising in the extreme when an advert
then goes on to say 'equivalent to £80-£100 a day' which of course is
hardly up from minimum wage particularly when the work required needs
quite a lot of specific expertise and experience.
I am tempted when I restart freelance work next year to include a page
on my website explaining where a freelancer's fee actually goes!
Once again, thanks for raising this,
Tehmina
On 14 January 2011 19:02, lilli sort <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Dear Alison,
> Thank you sou much for highlighting this! I charge an average of £250 a day
> for work-shopping and reseach. These are bottom rates, really. I'm getting
> enough work (and time to do my own research, etc, in between, which feeds
> back into the "paid work". Good for those commissioning me as well, i.e. I
> keep abreast of discourses, ideas and technological developments, and can
> offer more to those commissioning me as well. However, most sites still
> think £250 is way too much to pay. Considering my expenses it is absolutely
> not (my accountant is not quite sure how I manage to keep a developing
> practice without charging more). Truth is that only charging £150 or less a
> day means that you have no time to develop your skills and ideas and will
> have to (justify) simply delivering the same thing over and over again -
> which, is of no real value to anyone in the long run.
>
> I don't know any freelancers who charges as much as they can get away with.
> Usually they work for less than they should to get the work. Everyone I
> know, however, really appreciate getting paid in a way that reflects their
> skills and the time invested.
> So thanks Ali, great to have someone commissioning on our side who truly
> understands the business.
>
> All best,
> Lilli
>
>
> ________________________________
> From: Alison Bodley <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Sent: Fri, 14 January, 2011 13:37:31
> Subject: Freelance rates
>
> Hi,
>
>
>
> I’ve just been keeping my eyes on freelance rates and talking to a few
> freelancer friends. Some contracts are around £100 a day.
>
>
>
> It might seem like a fair sum that is similar to what you would pay an
> employee or contract staff but I was just wondering if the rest of the
> sector is aware, that by the time a freelancer takes their costs out of this
> it’s not far off the minimum wage. And yet I am assuming that museums are
> wanting to employ fairly experienced people for these roles.
>
>
>
> Most Freelancers need to allow for:
>
> · Office costs
>
> · Public indemnity Insurance
>
> · Professional Indemnity Insurance
>
> · Pension – no employers contribution
>
> · Sick leave
>
> · Holiday leave
>
> · Training
>
> · Time for preparing applications and attending interview
>
> · Expenses in the brief that a normal employee would get such as
> travel
>
> · Risk of not being employed all the time
>
>
>
> I am sure other freelancers can add to this. We all know times are tough,
> but I just thought I would raise the issue.
>
>
>
> Ali Bodley
>
>
>
> Heritage Consultant
>
> [log in to unmask]
>
> 01904 637339
>
> 07884444675
>
>
>
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--
Dr Tehmina Goskar, MA AMA
[log in to unmask]
http://tehmina.goskar.com/
Research Officer: ESRC History, Heritage, and Urban Regeneration: The
Global and Local Worlds of Welsh Copper
History & Classics
University of Swansea
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