Why sign a contract before you start?

[SueEllen]

They don't but I was told that once my time is approved on their system, they pay agency 1 who then pay agency 2 who then pay me whether I've raised an invoice or not? Hence I will raise an invoice immediately my time is approved. That way, as far as I'm concerned, they will be paying against my invoices (which is what the contract says)

As normadd indicated you are being over the top with this. Lots of companies and agencies do self-billing - it's not a big thing and it is not related to IR35.

Also when it comes to getting paid the biggest thing is to ensure you get paid and paid the correct the amount for the work you do, not whether they pay you before you raise an invoice or not.

If you don't want to get paid for the work you have done you are going the right way about it............

[Hiram King Of Tyre]

So are you saying that signing to say I will comply with a 'Temporary Recruitment Handbook' will not affect my IR35 status?

Is the market that bad out there?

[Svalbaard]

So are you saying that signing to say I will comply with a 'Temporary Recruitment Handbook' will not affect my IR35 status?

Is the market that bad out there?

First off, the chances of you being investigated under IR35 are small.

Secondly, and as a previous respondent stated : if you do get investigated, the worst that will happen is that you will be liable for a small extra %age in tax due. If you are running a limited company then you should have this sitting in your business account anyway, or you can set this aside in a contingency pot if it makes you feel better and safer - this allows you to show that due to the uncertainty around your current situation, that you were dilligent in your approach and prudent in your management of the potential risk.

Third, is the market bad? Not as far as I can see, but I am in a very highly paid contract in a specialist area. I have no idea what area you work in so I cannot answer this question for you. However, what is worse - you having no contract because of your flapping over this non-issue? Or you having contract, earning money, but managing those risks accordingly? Surely that is the better place to be in a proposedly volatile market?