New to all this....

[Slimjimwoods]

Hello, just stumbled across your site and you all seem like helpful folks so...

I'm about to take a new job, it is sort of employed, and sort of self employed, let me explain.

Vehicle, phone and work all supplied by a company, but I'm left to either set up a ltd company or use an umbrella. What should I do in this case, I'm thinking that I should just set up a ltd company, as I'm also a photographer so could amalgamate both into the same company.

It's a slightly unusual situation, so any advice you could give would be greatly appreciated.

Jim

[SueEllen]

I suggest you go and talk to a friendly accountant about it.

If you have any friends who use accountants for their small business ask them. Otherwise you can use the search facility and find accountants who use this forum who you can contact.

When I asked about accountants two people said they couldn't recommend the accountant they had used because they were crooked.

There are links to guides on the RHS which you should read first. Plus you can google for PCG and read their guide to contracting.

After reading all this stuff and digesting it make the appointment with the accountant(s) and ask them the questions relevant to you.

[northernladuk]

Sounds like you will act as a permie with some of the material tools to do your job but no benefits of being a permie and the company don't want to bother with the HR so let you do it all. I expect you will be paid on a pro rata rate, be so far in IR 35 it won't be true and have to use a brolly. I can't see a LTD will help you here to be honest but your accountant is best way to find out.

Part of this new raft of contracted for 2 years before they take you on permie rubbish that seems popular nowadays possibly?

I wouldn't be happy with that setup though, might be worth keeping an eye on the market for something better?

EDIT : Hmm didn't see the photography thing so might be whole diff beast we are used to then.

[Slimjimwoods]

Thankyou both for your replies, the photography thing is really just an aside, I'm currently setting up a website for that but it's really just a hobby that I'm hoping will earn a few quid in the future.

Just thought there may be benefits ahead if I could amalgamate what I'm doing in this job, with the other ventures too...

As I'm really not sure of the situation until I see it in practice, I've considered going with an umbrella to start with, and if the work/necessity is there, I can take the plunge on a ltd.

[Wanderer]

I've considered going with an umbrella to start with, and if the work/necessity is there, I can take the plunge on a ltd.

That's not a bad strategy. Setting up a limited is easy but you get lumbered with a pile of admin that you can probably do without at this stage... You will pay a lot more tax through an umbrella though, check out the calculators on the web