New to contracting - Been given a preferred supplier list... help me choose?

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Ultimately they are the company that the government contract with. But there can be any number of agencies between Crapita and the individual.

Oh ok - that keeps everything nice and simple then

[northernladuk]

"Nice on the phone add four stone."

qh

[misterpingu]

Oh ok - that keeps everything nice and simple then

Haha - noticed ContractorUmbrella didn't appear on the list - are you guys not in this direct? I would prefer not to go me->umbrella->agent->capita->client

[texto]

Hello - I am new to contracting and planning to use an umbrella firm for my first contract (may change later to ltd but for now will go umbrella) . This is for a govt department and they have given me a list of agencies with whom I have to pick one to register.

I wanted to ask a) from the quite long list below... which would folk recommend?
b) So I'm looking at a chain of (govt dept->capita->agency-> umbrella co -> me) - do any of the below do umbrella services so I can cut one out of the chain?
c)Do folk think I'm going about this the right way? I'm new and clueless

Is this the list give by the govt deptt.? If yes then what is capita doing in the middle? Is capita not a preferred supplier to the govt? Capita take on contractors AFAIK. I think you should be going this way:
govt ->Capita -> Your own company -> You as the director of the company

The above involves setting up your own company which any accountant could help you with in a couple of days. The accountant will have an intro pack with full details - pretty simple really once you understand what is involved. You invoice capita and capita pays your company. You draw salary and dividends from your company.

If you don't want your own company and an umbrella instead, then:
govt ->Capita -> An umbrella -> you

In this case, the umbrella sorts out everything for you and pays you at the end of the month. You simply send your timesheet to the umbrella. The first option usually works out to be more cost effective.


You can find loads of umbrellas and accountants in this forum. Look in the accounting/legal section.

[TheFaQQer]

Haha - noticed ContractorUmbrella didn't appear on the list - are you guys not in this direct? I would prefer not to go me->umbrella->agent->capita->client

That's a list of agents, so it's hardly surprising that ContractorUmbrella aren't in the list.

[eek]

Is this the list give by the govt deptt.? If yes then what is capita doing in the middle? Is capita not a preferred supplier to the govt? Capita take on contractors AFAIK. I think you should be going this way:
govt ->Capita -> Your own company -> You as the director of the company

The above involves setting up your own company which any accountant could help you with in a couple of days. The accountant will have an intro pack with full details - pretty simple really once you understand what is involved. You invoice capita and capita pays your company. You draw salary and dividends from your company.

If you don't want your own company and an umbrella instead, then:
govt ->Capita -> An umbrella -> you

In this case, the umbrella sorts out everything for you and pays you at the end of the month. You simply send your timesheet to the umbrella. The first option usually works out to be more cost effective.


You can find loads of umbrellas and accountants in this forum. Look in the accounting/legal section.

no because it would be

Govt -> Crapita government contractor management -> crapita recruitment (-> umbrella) -> you.

And I would imagine having an separate agency between you and crapita would make sense especially with those contracts...

[misterpingu]

That's a list of agents, so it's hardly surprising that ContractorUmbrella aren't in the list.

Ah... yeah..... that makes sense.
But what would also make sense was if specialist Umbrellas were included in the shiny new CL1 govt contracts to maximise folk paying PAYE. But then again I've been in the public sector for a few years now and should know better

[misterpingu]

no because it would be

Govt -> Crapita government contractor management -> crapita recruitment (-> umbrella) -> you.

And I would imagine having an separate agency between you and crapita would make sense especially with those contracts...

When you say...."having an separate agency between you and crapita would make sense especially with those contracts" - do you mean because of the IR35 unfriendlyness or another reason?

[LisaContractorUmbrella]

Haha - noticed ContractorUmbrella didn't appear on the list - are you guys not in this direct? I would prefer not to go me->umbrella->agent->capita->client

We do work with Capita yes

[eek]

When you say...."having an separate agency between you and crapita would make sense especially with those contracts" - do you mean because of the IR35 unfriendlyness or another reason?

because you may want someone else to fight a battle for you. Going internal within Capita won't get you anymore money and may result in you being treated far worse than an external agency would treat you...