SThree have launched their IR35 product

[eek]

Met a couple just the other Christmas when I was out with my family at one of their friends.

They used to work for Sunday Solutions when it went t*ts up, but then had then gone on to create their own scheme.

They then started to try and sell to me, I made it very clear why I wasn't interested and why.

The best that they could come up with as far as defence to my rhetoric was that the scheme was "QC approved."

Did you ask how good the lunch was?

[pscont]

S3 are selling fried air.

[DaveB]

The client has little incentive to generate an outside result with the tool (except when they really cannot find a candidate in which case which decision is HMRC going to use).

S3 are instead guiding the client through the process (probably ensuring they fill in the form correctly in such a way that the answer reads outside). They are also checking that the working practices are outside (given that the contract will be standard - that's all that QDOS needs to do).

You then also have an agency that knows how things need to work to keep people outside so if things start looking wrong at the end client (scope creep, can just look at) you can be sure S3 will step in and advice the client that they can't do that...

Hence (and I'm trying hard not to make this a sales pitch for I'm not on commission) while any initial client may say you are outside there is a risk that the clients behaviour may eventually lead you into being inside. With S3 that's less likely to occur as the agency can advice the client that they can't do that....

S3 have certainly moved on from their reputation a few years ago. I recall threads on here that routinely condemned them and their group companies as some of the worst agencies to work though.

site:forums.contractoruk.com S3 group

[eek]

S3 have certainly moved on from their reputation a few years ago. I recall threads on here that routinely condemned them and their group companies as some of the worst agencies to work though.

site:forums.contractoruk.com S3 group

Yep - that's not to say they are going to be perfect. But currently if I was hunting for a public sector contract I would trust S3 to give me a trustworthy valid outside IR35 decision than any other agency....

[MrMarkyMark]

Yep - that's not to say they are going to be perfect. But currently if I was hunting for a public sector contract I would trust S3 to give me a trustworthy valid outside IR35 decision than any other agency....

Mainly down to AH's influence I believe.

I wouldn't have touched the S3 stable a few years back!!

[jamesbrown]

I was going to use solution but for those with a longer memory that phrase is actually worse....

Strategy?

I don't see a particular problem with this, because there's no attempt to circumvent the rules. Either the client and S3 define WPs that are clearly outside, and the review passes, or they don't. In many cases, the PSB will not be willing or able to agree to WPs that are clearly outside, but I don't see anything wrong with the approach taken, and it should be agreeable to HMRC too (afterall, having the client and fee payer act as gatekeeper is the whole point, right? ).

[MrMarkyMark]

Strategy?

I don't see a particular problem with this, because there's no attempt to circumvent the rules. Either the client and S3 define WPs that are clearly outside, and the review passes, or they don't. In many cases, the PSB will not be willing or able to agree to WPs that are clearly outside, but I don't see anything wrong with the approach taken, and it should be agreeable to HMRC too (afterall, having the client and fee payer act as gatekeeper is the whole point, right? ).

For me that is the winner thus far

[NotAllThere]

... I would trust S3...

I never thought I'd see that phrase meant in earnest. How times change!

[eek]

I never thought I'd see that phrase meant in earnest. How times change!

Believe me its a surprise. But its the same as with Contractor Umbrella I have the direct dial of senior people and I know they are clueful....

[northernladuk]

Believe me its a surprise. But its the same as with Contractor Umbrella I have the direct dial of senior people and I know they are clueful....

I'm sure a lot of senior people running agencies are. It's when you have to deal with the humdrum it starts getting messy.