https://forums.contractoruk.com/ en Sat, 11 Apr 2026 11:43:22 GMT vBulletin 60 images/misc/rss.png https://forums.contractoruk.com/ https://forums.contractoruk.com/hmrc-scheme-enquiries/151166-inside-ir35-psc-fee-payer-with-protected-cell-company-co-op-dividend-route.html Fri, 10 Apr 2026 20:32:58 GMT Hi all, I’m a PSC contractor on a long-term inside-IR35 assignment. Instead of going full umbrella, the agency is using a fee-payer who runs deemed-employment PAYE/NIC only on a base daily rate. The surplus (the difference between what the end client is actually paying and that base rate) is... Hi all,

I’m a PSC contractor on a long-term inside-IR35 assignment. Instead of going full umbrella, the agency is using a fee-payer who runs deemed-employment PAYE/NIC only on a base daily rate. The surplus (the difference between what the end client is actually paying and that base rate) is then invoiced by my limited company to a protected cell company / contractors’ co-op.

The cell company pays the money back to my PSC as dividend distributions. These dividends are not 1:1 each week – some weeks I get noticeably more back, some weeks less, but over a few months it comes back very close to 100%. The co-op’s marketing says the dividends are “not attached to my earnings” and should be treated as normal dividend income in my company accounts (no CT, no VAT).

I’ve read that HMRC has successfully challenged similar co-op / cell-company / discretionary dividend structures in the past under disguised remuneration rules. I’m starting to feel a bit uneasy about the long-term risk, especially if there’s ever an enquiry.

A few questions for anyone who’s been in (or knows of) a similar setup:

1. Has anyone actually had an HMRC enquiry on this kind of fee-payer + cell/co-op arrangement?
2. What did your accountant say when you showed them the full flow?
3. Would you stay in it or switch to a straightforward umbrella?
4. Any decent independent accountants you’d recommend who have actually reviewed these structures (not ones introduced by the provider)?

Happy to answer any questions (without naming names obviously). Just trying to get some real contractor experiences before I make any decisions.

Thanks in advance!]]> HMRC Scheme Enquiries DigitalContractor16 https://forums.contractoruk.com/hmrc-scheme-enquiries/151166-inside-ir35-psc-fee-payer-with-protected-cell-company-co-op-dividend-route.html https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151164-nationwide-building-society-march-house-price-index.html Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:56:23 GMT Key points: UK annual house price growth picked up to 2.2% in March, from 1.0% in February Northern Ireland best performing area in Q1 2026, with prices up 9.5% year-on-year Outer South East weakest performing region, with prices down 0.7% compared with Q1 2025 Full report here: ...

UK annual house price growth picked up to 2.2% in March, from 1.0% in February

Northern Ireland best performing area in Q1 2026, with prices up 9.5% year-on-year

Outer South East weakest performing region, with prices down 0.7% compared with Q1 2025

Full report here:

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/media/h...6r-ldccn-zeq07

The swap rate graph (the rates that banks buy and sell money between thesmselves to then lend out as fixed rate mortgages also makes for interesting reading:

https://www.nationwide.co.uk/media/h...ap-rates-mar26]]> Accounting / Legal Martin@AS Financial https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151164-nationwide-building-society-march-house-price-index.html https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151153-new-questions-on-2025-26-satr.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 16:22:26 GMT
]]> Accounting / Legal ladymuck https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151153-new-questions-on-2025-26-satr.html https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151145-anyone-else-being-checked-by-magnit-for-jsl-compliance.html Thu, 26 Mar 2026 12:37:47 GMT
If yes, how it going?

For me it's going slowly and I don't have great confidence that the Magnit team (who seem to be offshore) has any clue. I am compliant, but whether they will accurately assess that is a point of quite some concern for me. I don't use an umbrella, I am not an umbrella, I'm just a one-man company who operates PAYE under IR35 (chapter 8 in my case if anyone cares). My supply chain is Me -> Magnit -> Client.

Thanks!





]]> Accounting / Legal Platypus https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151145-anyone-else-being-checked-by-magnit-for-jsl-compliance.html https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151133-personal-pension-contribution-scottish-tax-payer-advice.html Thu, 19 Mar 2026 11:55:54 GMT Hi Accountants of CUK, I have a question on advice and to double check independently my accountant information. Scottish resident / Tax Taxable Pay by year end: £125,000 What personal pension contribution would i need to make to bring me back down under the £100k under scottish tax regime? ... I have a question on advice and to double check independently my accountant information.
Scottish resident / Tax

Taxable Pay by year end: £125,000
What personal pension contribution would i need to make to bring me back down under the £100k under scottish tax regime?

I thought it would be a simple £25k but accountant is saying something different (£32k personal / £40k with HMRC) so looking for some feedback on what others think to see if matches accountant advice and i make payment.

Accountant has £32k payment needed which is grossed up to £40k by HMRC.

Also noted there would be no tax claim back as part of this £32k which I thought cant be correct?

Any help really appreciated as I really dont understand it all and its a big payment to make.

If needed, can include the accountant workings but really just looking for a quick independent advice saying yes this looks correct or incorrect as previous years has been a much smaller personal pension contribution plus a large higher rate tax payer clawback.
]]> Accounting / Legal Delboypass https://forums.contractoruk.com/accounting-legal/151133-personal-pension-contribution-scottish-tax-payer-advice.html https://forums.contractoruk.com/umbrella-companies/151129-communication-from-agencies-around-jsl.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:47:41 GMT
I've seen some emails that have been sent to contractors saying (and I'm paraphrasing here a bit to avoid identifying agencies) that "due to the upcoming legislation changes, we can only work with compliant umbrella providers and therefore have decided to restrict our umbrella PSL to the following FCSA members. You can no longer use your current umbrella". This approach is troubling for two reasons:

1. It clearly is suggesting that the umbrella company the recipient is currently using is non-compliant.

and

2. It is suggesting that being an FCSA member is a guarantee of compliance.

There are lots of umbrella companies out there that are long established, well respected and that are fully compliant, that are being deprived of business due to not being members of an expensive club that in and of itself confers no guarantee of compliance with the legislation.

If you're a contractor and you get a message like the above then please push back. The situation is being handled very poorly by some of the country's biggest agencies and MSPs who should know better.

Rant over.]]> Umbrella Companies Nothing to see here https://forums.contractoruk.com/umbrella-companies/151129-communication-from-agencies-around-jsl.html https://forums.contractoruk.com/hmrc-scheme-enquiries/151120-arrangements-not-included-in-2025-settlement-terms-bedouin-redstone.html Thu, 12 Mar 2026 21:06:28 GMT
It's been a quiet few years on the HMRC front, but have just received a letter from the HMRC stating that the Bedouin/Redstone arrangements aren't included in the 2025 settlement terms.

An arduous last 15 years of this saga, after waiting for review after review, now thinking about settling but would like to negotiate the more favourable 2025 settlement terms.

I'm under no illusion that HMRC would play ball, just wondering if there's anyone else here in a similar situation have any luck with negotiating with HMRC?

]]> HMRC Scheme Enquiries uelol https://forums.contractoruk.com/hmrc-scheme-enquiries/151120-arrangements-not-included-in-2025-settlement-terms-bedouin-redstone.html