Don’t have a breakdown over your pay breakdown

One of the questions regularly asked by contractors working through Umbrella.co.uk is about the “extra costs” which are payable by contract workers.  We are often told that our workers have previously found it hard to get to the bottom of what these costs are for, and that other payroll providers are reluctant to break them down for them.

Umbrella.co.uk prides itself on being upfront and transparent about any deductions that are made from income generated.  We will talk every potential new customer through the charges before you join us and will itemise them on your payslip each week so you know exactly where your money is going, and how the figure for net pay is arrived at.

What should contractors pay themselves?
Editor | 16 September 2017
/ / / /

Contractor pay is important to us. Many contractors work long hours and have to perform a lot of additional administration that isn’t involved in other lines of work. So it is important that the financial rewards match the burdens of the job.

Unfortunately, the tax framework for contractors is something of a minefield. Recognising the most efficient way to draw income from your contracts is far from simple.

Between umbrella contracting, dividends and IR35 legislation, it can be difficult to know the best way of doing things. We hope to clear it up in this blog post.

NEW with Umbrella and CIS Max - Save up to 38% on Cinema Tickets!

Friday Payments and discount shopping vouchers are just some of the great perks of going Max.

You can now save up to 38% on cinema tickets with our new e-vouchers. Simply login to your rewards account, place your order and you will instantly receive an email with a voucher code to exchange at the cinema.  

Simply search ‘Cinema’ to start saving on your cinema tickets!

Our Umbrella and CIS Max packages include this fantastic benefit and will save you hundreds of pounds a year shopping in-store or online. You will get over 2000 vouchers, cashback offers and insurance products from some of the biggest high street brands including supermarkets. These discounts are not available to the public, you will just need to log into your secure account to shop and save. If you are already registered simply login here.

 

Umbrella contractors, High paid contractors, Umbrella working, FCSA, Umbrella vs Limited company,

New research from the Freelancer and Contractor Service Association (FCSA) shows that umbrella working is being adopted by more and more high-end professionals in a range of sectors.

The research, which compares umbrella working in 2015 and 2017, also found that umbrella employees are enjoying better rates of pay and longer, more stable assignments.

In 2017, the FCSA found that 73% of umbrella workers were earning more than £15 per hour, compared with 53% in 2015.

The average length of an assignment more than doubled in two years from 14 weeks in 2015 to 29 weeks this year. The average length of employment with the umbrella company also increased from 30 weeks to 46 weeks. 

Win a £1,000 iPhone X in time for Christmas*

This is the MUST HAVE iPhone that everyone’s been waiting for!

This brand new handset from Apple has barely been launched but we are already giving our agency consultants the chance to win one just by referring to Umbrella.co.uk between 18 September and 15 December 2017. *

With masses of amazing techie updates including wireless charging, 4k filming, a huge super retina screen and so much more, everyone wants to get their hands on one before Christmas.

It’s easy to refer to Umbrella.co.uk. Simply email the contractors name, job title, phone number and pay rate to newsignups@umbrella.co.uk or call 01625 546 610.

Contractor confidence slips to record low
Editor | 7 September 2017
/ / / / /

The latest Freelancer Confidence Index, measured by the Association for Independent Professionals and the Self-Employed (IPSE), has shown the poorest outlook on record in the second quarter of 2017.

Despite a continuation of high day rates for contractors, the survey showed that only 19% of freelancers were confident about how their business would perform over the next year. This was down a whopping 9% on Q1 2017. 

Back to school: Four new skills contractors can learn for free

It’s September again. The days are getting colder and the nights are drawing in.

For parents, it’s also the time of year for new school uniforms because the long summer break is coming to an end and the kids are heading back to school.

Now, with an explosion in the availability of free online courses on everything from cookery to investing in stocks and shares, learning new skills isn’t just for children anymore.

If you want to increase your earning power and run your contracting business more effectively, pick a course below and get learning.