Can you use salary sacrifice with umbrella companies?
Salary sacrifice isn’t for everyone. However, it can be an excellent way for employees to boost their earnings…
Miliband begs for contractor support in next election
Desperate to edge out the Tories and the Lib Dems next election, Labour leader Ed Miliband has begun to court freelancers and umbrella company contractors.
Will 2012 be a year of widespread discontent?
2012 will be remembered for the London Olympics, the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, and if one union leader is to be believed, a year of strikes.
How much can contractors put in their pension fund this year?
Contractors are no doubt aware that the government recently changed the rules on the amount of money people can put aside in a pension scheme and still benefit from tax relief. It used to be £225,000, but earlier this year chancellor Osborne reduced that to a mere £50,000 per year.
HMRC signs deal with Experian to catch tax credit fraudsters
Umbrella company contractors who receive tax credits or other financial assistance may be interested to learn that HMRC recently signed a deal with Experian to help it catch people who fraudulently claim tax credits and other benefits.
Pensions auto-enrolment delayed for UK’s smallest firms
Contractors working through an umbrella company may be interested to learn that small firms have been given an extra year to comply with pensions auto-enrolment.
Are umbrella companies prepared for pensions auto-enrolment?
Last week, the REC responded to the inquiry into workplace pension automatic enrolment, highlighting the challenges the reforms will pose for recruitment agencies that place temporary workers.
Can we achieve fiscal sustainability without raising taxes?
The Office for Budget Responsibility says that tougher austerity measures and higher taxes are needed if Britain is to achieve long term fiscal sustainability.
Small businesses want to see a reduction in employers NICs
A new survey from the FSB confirms that small businesses would be more willing to take on staff if the coalition reduced employers National Insurance Contributions.
How much income will you need when you retire?
There is a substantial gap between the anticipated incomes of men and women in retirement, according to the Class of 2011 study from Prudential. Men expect an average income of £19,400 per year when they retire, whilst women anticipate just £12,200.
REC plans pensions auto-enrolment workshop next month
As from October 2012, employers, including umbrella companies, will need to enrol their staff in a pensions scheme automatically.
New tax rules could be a nasty shock for some
Although the new tax changes have been widely publicised, it appears that a lot of people, including umbrella company contractors, are still unaware of the effect they will have on their personal finances.
