Hays Umbrella companies

[Dorkeaux]

It's not how they do salary sacrifice into SIPPs it is how they use Salary sacrifice instead of the more typical 5% employer / 3% employee contribution and then pocket all or most of the NI savings that approach generates.

Now I can see the logic behind doing it but if you are going to try and play such a game it should be clearly explained and demonstrated on the KID on the worst culprits haven't done that on the KIDs linked to above.

It's both.
a) The charge(s) for processing salary sacrifice and paying into the SIPP
b) Whether they pocket the savings in NI generated by lowering your net income, or add the NI savings back into your gross salary.

Agreed, both of these should be on the KID.

Of course from 6 April 2029 the government is capping the National Insurance (NI) exemption for workplace pension contributions made through salary sacrifice at £2,000 per tax year. https://brookson.co.uk/2026/06/08/le...a-contractors/

We are busily maxing out our SIPPs, including taking advantage of the "Carry Forward" rule.

[eek]

Like Croesus, +1 for NASA.
As eek alludes, most of the big ones are too close to call, aside from how they deal with salary sacrifice into SIPPs.

It's not how they do salary sacrifice into SIPPs it is how they use Salary sacrifice instead of the more typical 5% employer / 3% employee contribution and then pocket all or most of the NI savings that approach generates.

Now I can see the logic behind doing it but if you are going to try and play such a game it should be clearly explained and demonstrated on the KID on the worst culprits haven't done that on the KIDs linked to above.

[sadkingbilly]

Have you asked your accountant which they would suggest?

<groan>

[northernladuk]

Have you asked your accountant which they would suggest?

[Dorkeaux]

Like Croesus, +1 for NASA.
As eek alludes, most of the big ones are too close to call, aside from how they deal with salary sacrifice into SIPPs.

If that's not an issue, just look at the KIDs. You'll see they are much of a muchness.
I've used Paystream, Giant and NASA and found them fine in this regard.

When it comes to salary sacrifice, Giant insisted on signing me up to their "Platinum" package which provided a ton of useless crap that I would never use. It was relatively expensive.
NASA charges £20 a month to deal with salary sacrifice, and they pass on the NI savings rather than pocketing them.

Maybe there are better deals out there, but I found that acceptable.

[Croesus]

+1 for NASA. They were very easy to deal with, especially salary sacrifice arrangements etc.

[eek]

If you have a question about umbrella companies, it makes sense to post it in the "Umbrella Companies" forum:
Umbrella Companies - Contractor UK Bulletin Board

You can also search the forum to see where people have mentioned the various companies before (rather than hoping that people will see this post and then repeat the same info they've posted before).

Even then, it depends on your requirements. E.g. I'm with NASA Umbrella, and they've been pretty good overall. However, here's a previous discussion where people reported problems:
NASA Umbrella, any good? - Contractor UK Bulletin Board
I think the main difference is that TheDel wanted to put money into a SIPP, which I'm not doing. That might or might not be an issue for you.

If you aren’t going for a SIPP look at the key information documents and avoid the ones who don’t list pensions as a employer deduction because there is a reason behind that - umbrellas are starting to use salary sacrifice games to pocket any employer NI savings from pensions.

[hobnob]

If you have a question about umbrella companies, it makes sense to post it in the "Umbrella Companies" forum:
Umbrella Companies - Contractor UK Bulletin Board

You can also search the forum to see where people have mentioned the various companies before (rather than hoping that people will see this post and then repeat the same info they've posted before).

Even then, it depends on your requirements. E.g. I'm with NASA Umbrella, and they've been pretty good overall. However, here's a previous discussion where people reported problems:
NASA Umbrella, any good? - Contractor UK Bulletin Board
I think the main difference is that TheDel wanted to put money into a SIPP, which I'm not doing. That might or might not be an issue for you.

[Delboypass]

There's loads of info over in Accounting / Legal about umbrellas.

These ones are the only ones allowed to be selected under Hays - so just looking for any good or bad experiences.

Probably going to go with Giant but have to Monday to decide..

[ladymuck]

There's loads of info over in Accounting / Legal about umbrellas.

[Delboypass]

Need to go Umbrella through Hays

this is the list of Umbrellas provided.

Anyone good or bad on list based on peoples experience?

All charges seem much for much

Hays Preferred Supplier List - Umbrella Providers | Hays

Umbrella company	Accreditations	Website	Phone number	Key information
Sapphire Contracting Ltd	FCSA	wearesapphire.co.uk	01625 539 997	Sapphire KID.pdf
Clipper Contracting Ltd	FCSA	clippercontracting.co.uk	01305 233 170	Clipper KID.pdf
Workwell Solutions Ltd	FCSA	workwellcontractorsolutions.com	01923 257 257	Workwell KID.pdf
Brookson One	FCSA	brooksonone.co.uk	0800 230 0213	Brookson KID.pdf
Danbro Ltd	FCSA	danbro.co.uk	01253 600 140	Danbro KID.pdf
Umbrella.co.uk	FCSA	umbrella.co.uk	01625 546 610	Umbrella KID.pdf
Focused Consulting Ltd	FCSA	focusedumbrella.co.uk	0161 923 0210	Focused KID.pdf
Giant Professional Ltd	FCSA	giantgroup.com	0330 024 0946	Giant KID.pdf
Parasol Ltd	FCSA	parasolgroup.co.uk	01925 939 160	Parasol KID.pdf
N W M Contracting Ltd	FCSA	nwm.uk.com	0330 333 4240	NWM KID.pdf
Nasa Umbrella Ltd	FCSA	nasagroup.co.uk	0117 929 7683	NASA KID.pdf
Paystream My Max Ltd	FCSA	paystream.co.uk	0161 929 6000	Paystream KID.pdf