Sometimes you just want to cry

[rally37]

I have been using umbrella companies for some years now but have just been hit with a beauty that I think some people may need to be aware of.
I have had 4 months off this year for one reason or another and just started a new contract for which the invoice was paid last week. My umbrella company, up til now have been very good and paid with no problems, however, when I received my pay advice this weekend I had a shock. Nearly 80% of the gross invoice total had been deducted via something they called a deduction of earnings. Invoice total £1200 this one deduction was £950 not including the NI and Tax Frantic phone calls insued once I had recovered from the near heart attack to be told that the CSA had ordered that they pay this. The umbrella company didnt tell me, the CSA didnt tell me, only reason I found out was the fact that I got a pay slip and checked it. I am in fact already paying the CSA by standing order and he is 19 in 3 weeks time.
The umbrella company does not want to help in any way and do not see that anything is wrong with this payment and will do nothing until they are told otherwise by the CSA and they will be making the same deduction this week when the next invoice is paid.
Guess it is time now to move into being a Ltd company. So a question for you all, once you have managed to either stop rolling on the floor laughing or picking your jaws up and before I comit
Who from all the adverts and mentions on here do you consider to be the easiest and probably cost effective accountancy firm to go with. I am thinking either Nixon Williams or SJD.
Anybody out there been stuffed( i thought i would be polite here - use any other appropriate word to replace stuffed ) up by the CSA as a Ltd company?

Please let me make it clear I am not trying to get out of paying the CSA, I am already paying monthly via standing order and he is 19 next month. I simply cannot afford 80% deductions from my pay each week. Even if the CSA state that I have 60% protected earnings, seems that umbrella payrole staff cannot compute these figures.

One other thing bothering me, I am classed as an employee of the umbrella company so why do I pay the employers NI contribution!

[ratewhore]

That's a proper 'Oh Dear!!' that is.

Anyways, Uptons for accountancy services and, as for your final question, in the immortal words of Bruce Hornsby - 'That's just the way it is'...

[Sausage Surprise]

NW for me...

[NotAllThere]

Originally Posted by rally37

...
One other thing bothering me, I am classed as an employee of the umbrella company so why do I pay the employers NI contribution!

You don't pay employers NI. The brolly do. The agency or client pay the brolly for your services. The brolly pay you. Just like if you worked for a consultancy. The fees you generate for the brolly belong to them, and do not have to have any bearing on the amount you get in your pocket.

If you don't understand that, in the absence of Malvolio, I'd have to suggest that it might be quite dangerous for you to run your own ltdco.

[BrilloPad]

Name and shame the brolly.

Have you any idea why the CSA decided to do this? Has there been any sort of dispute?

You could try nacsa and raising an official complaint with the CSA.....

[rootsnall]

Originally Posted by Sausage Surprise

NW for me...

Same here, getting bigger and less personal but they still haven't got anything wrong in years of using them. I was with another outfit for a while and they didn't get anything right.

[rally37]

Originally Posted by BrilloPad

Name and shame the brolly.

Have you any idea why the CSA decided to do this? Has there been any sort of dispute?

You could try nacsa and raising an official complaint with the CSA.....

Dont really want to name and shame at this moment not until I have seen this weeks payslip first, but I will say it is one of the big well known brolly's.

No dispute that I know of, the poor girl on the CSA help desk on saturday took the full brunt of the assault and couldnt believe it either. She is looking into it and has promised to come back with some info asap.

Thanks for the nacsa tip I have been looking for them.

[NotAllThere]

Notwithstanding my above comments - hope it works out easily for you.

[BolshieBastard]

Umbrella's. Satan's spawn.

[rally37]

Originally Posted by BrilloPad

Name and shame the brolly.

Have you any idea why the CSA decided to do this? Has there been any sort of dispute?

You could try nacsa and raising an official complaint with the CSA.....

The brolly is Parasol.
Apparently they decided that because I have not worked for a few weeks they would deduct the amount I should have paid in those weeks as well. Apparently as long as they leave me with about £285 per week I have no redress or right to appeal ( yeah right I will be seeing them in court ).

Parasol have refused to answer my emails, have not put me through to the right department when I phoned and generally dont appear to give a **** about one of their employees. They have even refused to send me a breakdown of the deductions. They are also going to deduct the same amount on the next pay run.

The 285 they have left me with doesnt even cover the expenses I have paid out to get to and do the job. Guess who will be moving very soon.

Many thanks for the NACSA info it has been a great help.