Industry News Articles

Construction: Reverse VAT charge delayed until 2021

A major change to the way that VAT is paid on building and construction invoices has been delayed again, this time until 1 March 2021.

At the end of May, HMRC said that the domestic reverse charge rules for the construction industry would commence on 1 October 2020. However, a week later, the tax authority confirmed that this would be pushed back by five months, due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the sector.

Umbrella contractor customers have free access to a professional counselling service with Umbrella Rewards

It’s Mental Health Awareness Week in the UK. We’d like to take the opportunity to remind our contractor customers that you have access to a free professional counselling service with Umbrella Rewards. If you are affected by mental or emotional strain, especially in these difficult times, login to the Umbrella Rewards Customer Portal and visit the 'Care & Support' area. 

Government must address IR35 flaws, say Lords
marketing | 30 April 2020
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A House of Lord committee has concluded that the government needs to address a raft of unfair flaws in the IR35 system, before new rules are implemented in the private sector.

Lords on the Economic Affairs Finance Bill Sub-Committee found that IR35, which is supposed to tackle tax avoidance by people in ‘disguised employment’, has not worked properly since it was introduced 20 years ago.

The Job Retention Scheme - Update for Umbrella Contractor Employees

We hope you are staying safe in these testing times.
 
The Job Retention Scheme has been announced by the government to support those PAYE workers who have been laid off due to the coronavirus.
 
Unfortunately as a business we are restricted by the pace in which the government releases the detail. The Directors here at umbrella.co.uk are in talks with our employment lawyers continuously about the Job Retention Scheme as well as liaising with industry bodies like the FCSA & APSCo. See the latest response from the FCSA here.
 
Rest assured we are hoping to be in a position where those whose assignments are terminated due to Covid 19 are able to be furloughed. However, until we are comfortable with the detail we cannot provide you with confirmation.
 
Once we have the full detail from the government in terms of how furlough payments can be processed for umbrella employees, we will be back in touch with the information you need.

Umbrella.co.uk youngsters have been displaying rainbows in the windows of their homes during the coronavirus outbreak.

Are you wondering why there are rainbows popping up in windows around your local area too?

With social distancing and restrictions due to coronavirus, children are connecting with each other by creating colourful rainbows and displaying them in their windows for passers-by to see and to spread hope and cheer.

It is thought this rainbow display trend began in Italy, but has quickly caught on in other countries.

IR35 Rule Change Set for 2021

Controversial changes to off-payroll working (IR35) rules are set to come into force in April 2021, after MPs ignored a call to delay the changes until 2023.

Changes to the way IR35 rules are applied in the private sector were originally penned to take effect in April 2020, before pandemic-related uncertainty forced a stay of execution from lawmakers.

comparing umbrella companies

New HMRC research has revealed that some of the most attractive ‘umbrella’ deals on comparison and broker websites aren’t tax-compliant, meaning they could land you with a big bill further down the line.

The companies that come out on top of these comparison listings usually boast unbelievable take home pay figures, together with other ‘too good to be true’ advantages. In reality, the only way umbrella companies can achieve these ‘enhanced’ or ‘advanced’ rates is through tax avoidance.

Remember, YOU are responsible for paying the right amount of tax. The tax man will come after YOU if you try and cheat the system. And if a deal sounds too good to be true, YOU know that it probably is.

At Umbrella.co.uk, we’re proud of our track record of protecting clients through compliance. We’re accredited by the FCSA and APSCo, two of the largest and most prestigious staffing and employment bodies. We have also been approved as business partners by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC).

Government guidance issued on 4 April confirms that Company Directors are eligible to be furloughed and receive support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS).

Government guidance issued on 4 April confirms that Company Directors are eligible to be furloughed and receive support through the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). This is welcome news as Directors could get paid 80% of wages, up to a monthly cap of £2,500.
 
If the furlough option is followed, the Director may not work for a minimum 3 week period and may only carry out statutory duties set out in the Companies Act 2006. The decision to furlough should be formally adopted as a decision of the company, noted in the company records and communicated in writing to the Director(s) concerned.
 
If you require further information regarding furlough, please email furlough@umbrella.co.uk or follow the following useful links:

Keep well and stay safe. We will continue to update you with any relevant information.

Limited company contractors: How to keep your PSC going through this crisis

The coronavirus outbreak presents a special kind of business crisis for limited company contractors.

Many industries have already experienced a sharp contraction and analysts suggest that things are going to get worse before they get better. Thankfully, however, they’re also forecasting a relatively quick turnaround. 

Businesses that were viable before the international pandemic will be viable again, limited company contractors just need to keep their personal service companies (PSCs) going for long enough to see the economy return to pre-crisis levels.

We would like to share some tips to help your business and your family keep going.

Support package announced for self-employed, but it won’t help everyone

Most of Britain’s five million self-employed workers breathed a sigh of relief yesterday when the government announced that they would receive taxable grants to make up for lost income during the coronavirus pandemic.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced that freelancers and contractors would be able to claim up to 80% of their profits from the state if they could prove that they had been adversely affected. But the grants will be capped at £2,500 per month and not everyone will be able to claim them - including contractors that work through a limited company.

In this blog post, we include more details about the support package and who is eligible to receive it. There’s also some good news for limited company contractors that can’t claim the self-employed support.

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