The government has created numerous support packages to help small businesses and contractors during the coronavirus pandemic. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and a similar scheme designed exclusively for the self-employed. This blog will summarise what support is available to small business owners, contractors and freelancers.
As things stand, Churchill Knight Umbrella is still unable to offer furloughed leave to our umbrella clients. At such an unprecedented time, we understand that our clients need financial support more than ever before. This is why we are urging the government to provide much-needed clarification on how umbrella companies process Holiday Pay and the Apprenticeship Levy.
The FCSA has demanded immediate answers from the government regarding the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and the impact on agency and umbrella workers. There are still many issues that need clarity to ensure over 600,000 contractors gain access to financial support through the CJRS.
New legislation came into effect on 6th April 2020 that requires all agency workers to be given a Key Information Document (KID) before agreeing to work with an employment business – as part of Regulation 13A of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003.
As a way of supporting businesses and employees throughout the UK during the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, the government has unveiled the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). You are now able to claim using this scheme, as the system went live on Monday 20th April.
Umbrella companies will provide you with an illustration to give you an idea of what your take home pay is likely to be after all relevant deductions have been made. While these illustrations are as accurate as possible, it is important to remember that they are only examples, and your actual take home may differ slightly.
According to the Office of National Statistics, less than 30% of the UK’s workforce have experienced working from home for themselves (data before the COVID-19 pandemic). However, as the threat of coronavirus has forced the government to implement a UK-wide lockdown, these figures have soared as millions of workers have been told they must work from home for the foreseeable future.
In a bid to seek definitive clarification from the government regarding furlough pay for agency workers (and those using umbrella companies), five of the UK’s leading professional bodies have come together. APSCo, FCSA, Professional Passport, REC and TEAM have all joined forces and have collectively written to the government asking for vital information that will impact over 1 million agency workers and umbrella company employees.
With so many umbrella companies to choose from, how do you know which one is best for your circumstances? A great way to start is to identify an umbrella company that is a member of the FCSA. To obtain FCSA membership, umbrella companies have to be able to prove they operate compliantly with HMRC rules, and regulations and this means you’ll be in the safest hands. After all, were you aware that if you use a non-compliant payroll provider, even by mistake, you could face severe penalties in the future?
On Saturday 4th April, the government released more information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). Interestingly, the updated guidance specifically references “umbrella companies”. While this is positive, there are still plenty of unanswered questions and the FCSA has described the new information as “contradictory”.
