Magnetic Push limited operated for just 11 months before it went into liquidation revealing a multi-million pound tax avoidance scheme while failing to justify £37 million expenditure. Scott Ian Rooney (40), of Leicester, was appointed sole director of Magnetic Push Limited in February 2017. Trading from a serviced office in Liverpool, the company was formerly known as ‘The Knowledgeshares Limited’ and ‘My PSU Subcontractors Limited.’After 11 months trading as Magnetic Push … [Read more...]
Don’t get confused between the FCA and the FCSA
With compliance being, or what should be a priority for any agency or end client when it comes to reviewing their payroll providers, it would appear that many are getting confused with the accreditations that play a vital part in governing the outsourced payroll sector. The most well-known names of accreditations for outsourced payroll in the UK are the FCSA (The Freelancer & Contractor Services Association) and PP (Professional Passport). The FCSA is not the FCA. The FCA … [Read more...]
Employee Experience the focus of Post-Covid Business: How prepared is your business?
Many employers are making sincere changes to their businesses in order to incorporate the increasingly popular Hybrid Working Model and prioritise Employee Mental Wellbeing. The UK Government's initial response to the Covid-19 pandemic was to impose a countrywide lockdown, enforcing workers to work remotely from home where possible. Businesses as a result, had to adjust and comply with new regulations for the safety of its workers.Subsequently, the effects of lockdown has now … [Read more...]
Umbrella Company or PAYE?
Understand the difference and find out which is the right option for you. Opting to work through an umbrella company is an increasingly popular payroll option in the UK for temporary workers and contractors. However, the understanding of what this actually means for workers is still largely misunderstood. This article aims to highlight in simple terms the differences between umbrella companies and agency PAYE systems; their functions and how worker payroll is processed. This article … [Read more...]
Why recruitment agencies are outsourcing their payroll
It has never been a better time to be a freelance contract worker within the UK, growing numbers of agencies are becoming more and more reactive to the countries growing demand for a more flexible workforce. We have seen over a 40% growth in our business each year for the past 2 years, which is a clear sign of a change in which hirers are addressing their recruitment needs. With growth, comes further burdens to continue to grow unless processes are in place to support these … [Read more...]
Umbrella companies: what their detractors don’t want you to know
Despite the important role that umbrella companies play in supporting contractors, providing all employment rights and ensuring tax and NICs are paid, there are numerous misunderstandings about how umbrellas work in practice.Five ‘myths,’ if you will, still doing the rounds, writes Julia Kermode, CEO of the Freelancer & Contractor Services Association.Myth 1Hidden charges!When trade unions first became aware of umbrella companies, they were concerned about the apparent … [Read more...]
New HMRC Spotlight on umbrella companies ‘does not go far enough’
Umbrella companies inspiring HMRC’s new ‘Spotlight’ publication – dedicated to schemes that avoid tax – has been endorsed by payroll company bosses themselves, albeit tentatively.In fact, far from disliking brollies being in a HMRC series on abusive arrangements, Contractor Umbrella says it is “useful,” CWC Solutions deems it overdue and the FCSA said it was "welcome.”HMRC putting beyond doubt that 80, 90 or 95% take-home pay is not tax-compliant; that brollies are “never HMRC-approved”, … [Read more...]
Consultants taking incentives, be warned: HMRC are coming for you!
Last week we shared important information surrounding incentives given to recruitment consultants https://www.epayme.co.uk/your-provider-may-giveth-but-hmrc-may-taketh-away/FCSA have recently published information regarding the HM Revenue & Customs investigating recruitment consultants, and made the following statement ‘Recruitment agencies please beware! Last week some recruitment consultants starting receiving bills from HMRC for unpaid tax on incentive payments. It seems that the … [Read more...]
Autumn 2017 Budget update
Thanks to Julia Kermode, Chief Executive of the FCSA (Freelancer & Contractor Services Association), for this concise summary of the Chancellor's 2017 Autumn Budget Statement. In the event, there was less news relating to the payroll/recruitment agency/contractor sector than many had anticipated. IR35 reform in the private sector Surprisingly the Chancellor’s speech did not mention IR35 or off-payroll at all so we were left to establish their plans from the red book. Here the Chancellor … [Read more...]
Umbrella working offers better rates of pay, says FCSA
Umbrella working is being adopted by an increasing number of high-end professionals in a diverse range of occupations, according to research by the Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA).Key findings from the study, which compares umbrella working in 2015 with 2017, show that the average assignment rate has risen significantly over the last two years, with 73% of umbrella workers earning £15 per hour or more, compared to 53% earning the same rate in 2015.The average length … [Read more...]