Starting Up

A Graduate’s Guide to Becoming a Contractor

With the rise of technology and the shift away from traditional full-time office jobs, many graduates may seek the more flexible working schedule of a contractor. Contracting is a great way to get work straight out of university and will help you gain experience. Let’s take a look at how contracting works.

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Umbrella Companies Explained UK

Umbrella companies are an increasingly popular choice for contractors in the UK. The experts at Contractor Umbrella explain what they are and who benefits.

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Umbrella Company Expenses: A Guide

Every umbrella company is required to offer their contractors support in finding their next contract, so we have put together a list of tips for contracting job seekers.

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What is the Apprenticeship Levy and why does it appear in my pay calculation?

The Apprenticeship Levy was introduced by the government in April 2017 and is designed to fund apprenticeship schemes – which allow employers to recoup some costs of providing training to apprentices – across the UK.

 

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What is an overarching contract of employment and why do I need one?

Any contractor employed through an umbrella company will sign an overarching contract of employment. In essence, this means that the contractor becomes a permanent employee of the umbrella company – it provides continuity of employment during and between different contracts.

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Umbrella Company Insurance

£5 million Professional Indemnity Insurance £10 million Employers Liability Insurance £5 million Public Liability Insurance Insurance certificates will be provided to your agency, along with our company details, before you start any assignment. Please note our Professional Indemnity policy does not cover workers in the following trades: Actuaries/Independant Financial Advisors The avionics/aviation industry where the Read More…

£5 million Professional Indemnity Insurance £10 million Employers Liability Insurance £5 million Public Liability Insurance Insurance certificates will be provided to your agency, along with our company details, before you start any assignment. Please note our Professional Indemnity policy does not cover workers in the following trades: Actuaries/Independant Financial Advisors The avionics/aviation industry where the

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Claiming expenses as an Umbrella company employee

Restrictions on Umbrella employee expenses Prior to April 2016, it was possible for Umbrella employees to utilise a wide variety of expenses to reduce their tax bill. By far the most popular expenses were travel and daily meals (these were known as subsistence expenses). Other common expenses, included: Mobile phone Accommodation Clothing Training Subscriptions Equipment Read More...

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Tax-free childcare scheme

How does the Tax-free Childcare Scheme work? To take advantage of the scheme, you’ll need to sign up. This gives you access to an online childcare account, which you can use to pay for childcare costs. For every £8 you put into the account, the government will top it up with £2 – so for Read More...

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