Umbrella companies are always a hot topic. With the payroll providers growing in demand, we wanted to create a friendly space for contractors, freelancers and industry stakeholders to discuss everything related to payroll. As a result, we’re delighted to announce we have launched a brand new umbrella company forum, and it’s ready to use now.
Why have we launched an umbrella company forum?
Our site is full of helpful information to help contractors and freelancers make well-informed payroll decisions–especially regarding PAYE umbrella companies. However, one of the most powerful learning tools is word of mouth and sharing experiences with other like-minded people. That is why we have launched a new umbrella company forum – to allow temporary workers to engage with one another easily, share positive and negative experiences, and ask any questions associated with the sector.
Ready to visit and participate in our umbrella company forum? Please click here.
What pre-defined topics have we created, and why?
Currently, there are six pre-defined forums for you to comment on freely. Here is what they are and why we’ve chosen them.
IR35 Questions and Concerns – IR35 is complex, and there is a lot of information to get your head around. Whether an assignment is inside IR35 or outside IR35 will impact a temporary worker’s take-home pay potential. Therefore, understanding how IR35 works is essential. It is also a hot topic at the moment. In September, the government announced (mini-budget) the IR35 reforms (off-payroll working) that came into effect in 2017 and 2021 were going to be repealed. However, in a shameful and unprecedented U-turn, the government went back on its word just weeks later and cancelled the repeal set for April 2023. In this forum – you can discuss all things IR35, including seeking inside/outside assignments, take-home pay potential, suggestions for good IR35 tax status specialists, and more!
Umbrella Companies to Avoid – If you have had a bad experience with an umbrella company, like-minded contractors and freelancers will want to hear about it because it will help them make better decisions moving forward. Make sure you’re respectful with your comments because any foul or abusive language will result in comments being removed and accounts being banned.
Umbrella Companies and Recruitment Agencies – A lot of staffing agencies will have Preferred Supplier Lists (PSL) – a list of umbrella companies that you can use for payroll when working on an assignment sourced by them. How do you feel about being told you must use a specific umbrella company on a recruitment agency’s PSL? Are you okay with it because you trust the agency? Do you feel like the agency is forcing you to use an umbrella company you don’t trust for their own financial gain? Did you have a great/terrible experience with a so-called “trusted” umbrella on a PSL? Please share your experiences and let other contractors know which recruitment agencies you trust and which ones you don’t.
Umbrella Company Payslips – All umbrella company employees should receive a PAYE payslip that outlines all the deductions made to their gross pay (assignment rate). The umbrella company should clearly state the net salary on payslips too. However, we have often heard that umbrella company payslips can confuse – perhaps because an umbrella didn’t explain how they’re created before a worker signed up. Do you have any questions about umbrella company payslips that you would like to ask other temporary workers? Do you have some helpful insight or advice? Have you recently received a satisfactory answer to a question from an umbrella company about a payslip you’ve received? Please share your thoughts and observations on this thread of our umbrella company forum.
Umbrella Company Recommendations – This section is very self-explanatory! Have you used an umbrella company that provided an all-round excellent service? Did they go above and beyond to welcome you as an employee? Was their margin competitive? Were your questions answered accurately and quickly? This thread is the perfect place to share positive experiences with other contractors and freelancers.
Umbrella Compliance Questions – Understanding how umbrella companies work properly is essential to ensure you’re paid compliantly. If you have doubts about an umbrella company, perhaps because you think they’re a tax avoidance scheme, ask fellow contractors and freelancers about how they operate and get some guidance. Do you have any questions about umbrella companies and whether the one you’re interested in is operating ethically? Have you found an umbrella offering you an inflated take-home pay retention (a warning sign of a tax avoidance scheme)? Do you have questions about the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA)? Have you got some queries regarding the self-regulatory body Professional Passport? In this threat – you are free to discuss all-things related to umbrella company compliance. Also, if you have any specific questions you would like us to answer in a new article, please email info@umbrellacompanies.org.uk.
Register to use the forum – it’s free and takes under a minute
To interact on our umbrella company forum, you will need to register. Don’t worry – registering is really easy and should take no longer than one minute. When you have registered, you are free to comment and interact as you please, but make sure you abide by the forum disclaimer (available here).
Register to use the umbrella company forum – click here.
Top 10 umbrella companies
If you are currently using an umbrella company but don’t feel like you’re getting value for money, or you’re looking for an umbrella for the first time – we have just the resource! To make your life easier, we have collated a list of our top 10 umbrella companies and they are all accredited by the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA) or Professional Passport. Please check them out now – some have special offers at the moment that you won’t want to miss!
