Since Brexit, permanent placements are down to their lowest since the recession, which means the UK is relying on contractors to get back to a strong economy.
Are more people in the UK turning to self-employment out of necessity rather than choice? This debate has been raging over the last few months and the news that self-employment has reached an all time high will no doubt start people talking again.
The latest Purchasing Managers Index from the Bank of Scotland was published at the beginning of the week and umbrella company contractors should be able to take heart from the results.
Umbrella company contractors north of the border will be pleased to learn that demand for their services continues to rise. The latest PMI shows that growth reached its highest level for four years in February and plenty of job opportunities are springing up for job seekers.
Do we really need to bribe companies to help young people find work? The Government obviously thinks so and Nick Clegg intends to offer organisations more than £2,000 for each unemployed youth they place in education or employment.
Umbrella company contractors may not be aware that the UK now has a new employment relations minister. Norman Lamb has taken over from Edward Davey and part of his remit is to look into ways to reduce the amount of red tape facing recruiters.