Recruitment agency wants me to do a CEST and send them the output??

[LondonManc]

Bearing in mind the majority of clients are not even using CEST, and that those clients who are engaging are probably brand new to all this and are solely listening to the HMRC party line, which is one of, 'Use CEST', I personally would not want to start a conversation with a likely already nervous client and say, 'But I have something even more brand new as a concept.'

If you have a talkative client, I personally would get CEST to give me the right answers, engage with the client, demonstrate/present the answers and then, dictate the working conditions to reflect the output. If you have a talkative client.

The problem is that unlike in times past when HMRC could review both contract and actual working conditions, right now, while the contract can be manipulated, contractors currently have no recourse to assessing what will, at the time of contract signing, be the working conditions for later investigation and retrospective action.

Agree with the first two paragraphs but disagree with the last. That's what the interview is for.

[northernladuk]

Agree with the first two paragraphs but disagree with the last. That's what the interview is for.

Agreed. Permatractors see it as the client interviewing them. Should be a two way discussion where are also digging for info to see if you actually want the role.

[NotAllThere]

Agreed. Permatractors see it as the client interviewing them. Should be a two way discussion where are also digging for info to see if you actually want the role.

I've been quite successful with it being one way.