Been asked to show passport, but I'm using an umbrella - er??

[PinkPoshRat]

I have had a look around tinternet for the answer, but to no avail. I'm hopeful of finding the answer from one of you guys... ok, here we go...

I have a new contract about to start next week and I'm going to use an umbrella company.

Now I have a few questions:

1 The agency (Reed) are posting me the contract and have asked me to take it into my local branch after I've signed it. I thought the contract is first sent to the umbrella company to sign??

2 I have sent scanned copies of my Birth Certificate, Passport, Drivers' Licence, Utility Bills and the all new Disclosure certificate to the agency. The now want me to show the documents to someone in their local office - this is all okay if it were not for the fact that I am working via an umbrella. I understand that the agency needs to make sure they are not employing illegal workers, but I'm going via an umbrella AND I have already sent copies to them??

3 Another oddity is that they are also now saying that I need to be on their payroll - again, fine but I am going via an umbrella!!??


Finding answers on tinternet aint always easy!!

[questiontime]

About 1 and 3, why not ask you agency.

About 2, technically you are correct. The agencies apply a blanket policy for everyone to cover their backs, just in case.

I have had a look around tinternet for the answer, but to no avail. I'm hopeful of finding the answer from one of you guys... ok, here we go...

I have a new contract about to start next week and I'm going to use an umbrella company.

Now I have a few questions:

1 The agency (Reed) are posting me the contract and have asked me to take it into my local branch after I've signed it. I thought the contract is first sent to the umbrella company to sign??

2 I have sent scanned copies of my Birth Certificate, Passport, Drivers' Licence, Utility Bills and the all new Disclosure certificate to the agency. The now want me to show the documents to someone in their local office - this is all okay if it were not for the fact that I am working via an umbrella. I understand that the agency needs to make sure they are not employing illegal workers, but I'm going via an umbrella AND I have already sent copies to them??

3 Another oddity is that they are also now saying that I need to be on their payroll - again, fine but I am going via an umbrella!!??


Finding answers on tinternet aint always easy!!

[The Wikir Man]

Sounds like the agency seem to have missed the fact that you are going through an umbrella completely - if you are going through one, then you shouldn't be PAYE to the agency. If you are going through one, then it's the responsibility of your employers (the brolly) to make sure that you are legally entitled to work in this country. The contract for the role is between the agency and the umbrella, so you shouldn't have to take anything in to their offices personally.

Speak to the agency, and remind them of the billing arrangements. Tell them that you are more than willing to take the stuff in in person to their office, but will need to charge for your time at a rate of £75 per hour (regardless of the rate that your contract is worth). That should put them off.

[northernladuk]

Sounds like the agency seem to have missed the fact that you are going through an umbrella completely - if you are going through one, then you shouldn't be PAYE to the agency. If you are going through one, then it's the responsibility of your employers (the brolly) to make sure that you are legally entitled to work in this country. The contract for the role is between the agency and the umbrella, so you shouldn't have to take anything in to their offices personally.

Speak to the agency, and remind them of the billing arrangements. Tell them that you are more than willing to take the stuff in in person to their office, but will need to charge for your time at a rate of £75 per hour (regardless of the rate that your contract is worth). That should put them off.

You are right it is the brolly but there is nothing wrong with Reed covering their backs as part of the service to the client. They are not going to get an brownie points from a client sending them someone that it ends up is an illegible to work so perfectly reasonable in my opinion. I am sure it would be a huge problem without these checks.

And this charging Reed. Thats just bulltulip. You got yourself a gig and well done. Spend an hour of your life keeping Reed happy and just get on with it

Jeez it isn't like they are two bit company. Why put your role at risk by getting all shirty with the agency.

[The Wikir Man]

Jeez it isn't like they are two bit company. Why put your role at risk by getting all shirty with the agency.

Because they should know how the business is run - they have no business whatsoever encouraging the OP to deliver the contract to them, when the contract needs to go to the umbrella company before it can go to the agency.

Because they don't seem to understand how working through an umbrella works in this situation? If the OP is paying an umbrella, then why are they saying that (s)he needs to be PAYE through them?

If they are getting such basics wrong, then what else are they going to screw up over the course of the contract?

[Sockpuppet]

If reed are offering PAYE why not take it?

Unless your on a decent contract rate which I can't see coming from Reed then you'll probably come out on top by not paying the umbrella fees.

[The Wikir Man]

If reed are offering PAYE why not take it?

Unless your on a decent contract rate which I can't see coming from Reed then you'll probably come out on top by not paying the umbrella fees.

Depends how much you can claim in (legitimate) expenses - would Reed give as good a return as umbrellas?

I don't know - and given the choice, I'd take the PAYE option than doing PAYE and paying employers NI as well as brolly fees.

[PinkPoshRat]

I did consider going PAYE, but I managed to get a higher rate for LTD (+30%) so I shall be slightly better off LTD as opposed to PAYE

I'll also be driving around to various sites, and IMO I'm better off claiming my mileage under a LTD as the rate I can claim will cover the running costs of my car and not just the petrol. I may be wrong here but I can't believe the agency would pay me £0.40p/m for the first 10,000 miles!

[The Wikir Man]

I did consider going PAYE, but I managed to get a higher rate for LTD (+30%) so I shall be slightly better off LTD as opposed to PAYE

I'll also be driving around to various sites, and IMO I'm better off claiming my mileage under a LTD as the rate I can claim will cover the running costs of my car and not just the petrol. I may be wrong here but I can't believe the agency would pay me £0.40p/m for the first 10,000 miles!

FWIW - you aren't limited, you are through an umbrella

Even if the agency didn't pay you 40p a mile, you can claim the difference as an expense on your self assessment tax return, so it comes off your taxable income.

[PinkPoshRat]

... I have now been asked to give the names, telephone numbers/email addresses of my line managers covering the last 5 years. I hope I have done the right thing, as I refused to supply this information.

I have worked on MoD sites, and worked via an umbrella so surely any reference needed for me could be supplied by the umbrella or the other agency?? Also, I am not happy about giving out the names of ANYONE in the MoD!!

I've been told that these references are needed for auditing purposes, and not used for obtaining leads... Am I right to hold my ground here??