Umbrellaworx

[Pturner]

Hi. Will be a first time umbrella user with the IR35 changes coming in so really confused about it all. Has anyone used Umbrellaworx as been recommended to me? Seem very nice and good but they are offering more take home than usual (80%) and my colleague has told me to avoid at all costs even though they are accredited by Professional Passport.

[cojak]

Any Umbrella promising 80% take home is NOT a legitimate umbrella.

Read this, it might sound familiar... Payeworx

Read this for more information:

If you've come here looking for advice regarding umbrella companies here it is.

Choose a company that complies with HMRC guidelines and current UK legislation*.

You can find a selection here (not perfect but it’s the best we’ve got): FCSA • Members Directory • Accredited Members FCSA

Some companies will offer you the moon on a stick, or 80%+ of your day rate, or a 'unique solution' to IR35. It sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?

That's because it is.

Have a read of this: Don't be fooled by imposter umbrella companies

Because if you join them you will very likely end up here HMRC Scheme Enquiries

Also, have a read of this: https://www.contractoruk.com/forums/...-umbrella.html

And read the contract before you sign!

And then check if the company is in the London Gazette.

And for newbies, definitely don't join a company with offices in the Isle of Man or Jersey (or Directors with any association to IOM, now or in the past).

Just don't.

(*When an umbrella states that they are 'Fully HMRC compliant', ask them what they mean by this - do they mean that they comply with HMRC guidelines? HMRC do not offer compliance reviews and will not 'approve' umbrella companies. Basically they say this just to get you to sign up.)

[eek]

Hi. Will be a first time umbrella user with the IR35 changes coming in so really confused about it all. Has anyone used Umbrellaworx as been recommended to me? Seem very nice and good but they are offering more take home than usual (80%) and my colleague has told me to avoid at all costs even though they are accredited by Professional Passport.

Scrap that as they are approved (blooming heck) - Right so we know that accreditation is worth the paper it's written on..

But listen to your colleague be prepared to return in 12-18 months time with a tale of woe as you visit the https://www.contractoruk.com/forums/...eme-enquiries/ forum for advice

[Pturner]

Thanks for that quick reply but now more confused. The agency said to choose from FCSA or Professional Passport and I didn't go for FCSA because of some comments on here so where do I go from here if a passport umbrella is suspect? I thought it seemed to good to be true tbh. Thanks again.

[Pturner]

Thanks Eek. So how do we choose who to sign with? When I say "we" there are just over a 100 of us who are being forced to ditch our limited companies and everyone has got something different to say...confused.com to say the least!

[northernladuk]

Thanks Eek. So how do we choose who to sign with? When I say "we" there are just over a 100 of us who are being forced to ditch our limited companies and everyone has got something different to say...confused.com to say the least!

Are you allowed to pick your own umbrella? Clarity Umbrella is your only choice IMO

[eek]

Thanks Eek. So how do we choose who to sign with? When I say "we" there are just over a 100 of us who are being forced to ditch our limited companies and everyone has got something different to say...confused.com to say the least!

Well I wouldn't recommend FCSA but that's because they have a set of rules that make it a "old mates club" - however given umbrellaworx is on the Professional Passport list that list is far, far worse than the FCSA list.

This forum likes clarity as it's owned by the people who used to run contractor umbrella - and both of those post here and are fine. Beyond that the FCSA list is a reasonable starting point

[northernladuk]

Well I wouldn't recommend FCSA but that's because they have a set of rules that make it a "old mates club" - however given umbrellaworx is on the Professional Passport list that list is far, far worse than the FCSA list.

This forum likes clarity as it's owned by the people who used to run contractor umbrella - and both of those post here and are fine. Beyond that the FCSA list is a reasonable starting point

It's like needing a loan and you have a choice between the mafia and a list of independant lenders made up of the local loan sharks....

[andydd68]

It's like needing a loan and you have a choice between the mafia and a list of independant lenders made up of the local loan sharks....

Better food with the Mafia ?

[VelcroPower]

Thanks for that quick reply but now more confused. The agency said to choose from FCSA or Professional Passport and I didn't go for FCSA because of some comments on here so where do I go from here if a passport umbrella is suspect? I thought it seemed to good to be true tbh. Thanks again.

I've been through both "audits" from the PSC and umbrella side

The FCSA one is much more stringent than the PP one, even though neither are what I would really call an audit.

It's a shame, because a regulatory body makes sense but they are all mainly marking their own homework.