The UK’s technology sector is often seen as a centerpiece to economic policy in this country. Over the last few weeks the General Election battleground has shifted and one topic has been replaced by another. However, UK Tech has remained a fairly constant refrain amongst the election hopefuls.
Editor | 28 April 2015
/ / /Editor | 27 April 2015
/ / / /Business confidence amongst the UK’s construction leaders – and many other firms in between – remains tip-top according to the latest research from accountants and business insight providers BDO.
With an employment index rating of above 113.0, the growth indications for UK construction remains a long-term trend and beyond: employers intend to keep on hiring, because there is work to be done and more is on the way.
Umbrella.co.uk's Jessica Evans joined us to chat over the latest good news for UK construction contractors: “The continued recovery – in fact, resurgence – of the UK’s building industry has really fuelled this continuous feelgood factor around the sector.”
Editor | 24 April 2015
/ / /APSCo have enquired and received clarification from HMRC in respect of the confusion that surrounded the employment intermediary reporting requirements for agencies where an agency worker is working through an Umbrella Company.
They have also confirmed that payment information will not be required when this is the case.
The confusion arose because on the face it more than one category could apply when reporting where an agency worker has been paid not through an agency’s own PAYE scheme.
Editor | 22 April 2015
/ / /Business Entity Tests (BET’s) have previously been used in the Public Sector to assess whether a contractor working in the Public Sector is outside the scope of IR35 and hence can be paid through their own limited company.
Editor | 16 April 2015
/ / / / /All Umbrella Companies are Equal (AUCAE) have launched a survey so that contractors can have their say on any concerns they may have about the Government’s proposed changes to tax relief on travel and subsistence that were announced in Budget 2015.
The Government has announced it may restrict tax relief on travel and expenses for some contractors where they cannot demonstrate they have control, supervision or direction of their own work.
Editor | 10 April 2015
/ / / / /The buzz around the accountancy sector is all about small businesses and cloud accounting. Even KPMG one of the world’s largest accountancy firms has launched into the sector with their new offering called Enterprise.
But what is Cloud Accounting and how does it help?
Editor | 9 April 2015
/ / /The Small Business, Enterprise and Employment Act 2015 has received royal assent and is now therefore inforce. This is the first time an act has been passed specifically for helping small businesses.
Editor | 7 April 2015
/ / /Please find below the key tax changes that came into effect on 6th April 2015.
Employee National Insurance Contributions (NIC) Threshold (rate above which your start paying at rate of 12%)
£153 to £155 pw (per week)
Or if monthly paid
£663 to £672 pm (per month)
Editor | 2 April 2015
/ / /Umbrella.co.uk would like to wish you a Happy Easter. Please see below our opening hours over the Easter period:
Thursday 2nd April 2015 - Normal Hours
Good Friday - Closed
Saturday 4th April 2015 - Closed
Sunday 5 April 2015 - Closed
Easter Monday - Closed
Our out of hours service will be operating on the days we are closed. This is monitored by duty staff. Please call if you have any queries.
The Great Umbrella.co.uk Bake Off! A different staff member has volunteered to bake every week for the next few months. Here's this week’s Frozen masterpiece made by Helen Johnson
Editor | 24 April 2015
/ / / /Umbrella.co.uk staff have come in dressed up as superheros today to raise money for East Cheshire Hospice
Editor | 23 April 2015
/ / / /Amongst all the good news and continued belief in the buoyancy of the UK’s economic performance, an elephant has been lurking somewhat awkwardly in the room: an acute lack of skills.
Rough estimates proffer that the Construction industry requires over 44,000 new entrants to the sector to keep pace with demand and to regenerate an ageing workforce. The UK also needs to be bringing thousands more engineers to the workplace than it is currently doing. To put it bluntly, there aren’t enough skilled personnel coming into the workplace across UK industry.
Editor | 17 April 2015
/ / / / /The LibDems have launched their election manifesto which highlights their proposed tax changes and spending plans should they gain power in the General Election.
Editor | 14 April 2015
/ / / / /Labour have launched their election manifesto which highlights their proposed tax changes and spending plans should they gain power in the General Election.
A search of the document did not highlight any specific changes relating to umbrella companies, contractors or IR35 but there is a promise to support small businesses which could be of benefit to contractors and freelancers who operate though their own limited companies:
Editor | 10 April 2015
/You may have heard on the news the phrase the “Living Wage” and wondered like us what it is.
The Living Wage is the amount it is estimated people need to earn to support their living costs. The amount is higher than the National Minimum Wage which by law companies have to pay.
Editor | 8 April 2015
/ / / / /Yesterday we highlighted the key changes to the amounts of personal taxation and national insurance contractors will pay due to changes that come into force for the new tax year (started 6th April 2015).
One of the changes that dictates how much many contractors will pay themselves as wages when working through their own Personal Service Company (PSC) is that employees national insurance now starts at a lower amount than employers national insurance (but up from the £153 in the prior tax year).
Editor | 7 April 2015
/ / /Happy and Tax aren’t often seen in the same sentence as each other but a New Tax Year is normally a happy event with increases to personal allowance bands meaning contractors can normally see a bit more in their take home pay each week.
