Reply to: Umbrella for ad hoc work..

[Crossroads]

Bump...

I used JSA for around 3 months at the start of this year following the creation of this thread. All was fine although they did make a couple of admin errors towards the end; nothing major but it meant a pension payment was floating around between them and my SIPP provider for a couple of months.

I've now got another ad hoc requirement and the same consultancy as before have sent JSA a contract; I've contacted them via their portal (I'm still registered as an employee etc) and now also an email and heard zero back.

I might need a plan B/alternative umbrella that will support putting large amounts (JSA did 83%) into a SIPP.

Anyone aware of any issues at JSA? I do see posts from Feb suggesting they had IT issues...

[rootsnall]

Hopefully its true, I'm with JSA for accounting after they took over accountsnet, so it could ease the transition into umbrella.

They've been good tbh. as were the previous lot, I expected glitches but issue free so far. I have a double smile each week, one for not having to read posts on IR35 after 20 years of it, and secondly at my tax and NI deductions each week as I'm paying the bulk into a SIPP. I'll go on a go slow if I run out of SIPP allowance.

[Royston1664]

Hopefully its true, I'm with JSA for accounting after they took over accountsnet, so it could ease the transition into umbrella.

[Paralytic]

How would any umbrella know in advance how much work there is going to be ? I would describe my intended work pattern as 'a few days here and there' but I've never known a contract that actually turns out that way.

You have a contract with the Umbrella and the Umbrella has a contract with the agency or client. That latter contract will typically stipulate day rate and expected contract term.

I'd be surprised if an Umbrella would employ someone who's client/agency side contract was not well defined with regards to the realistically expected volume of work over the period of that contract.

[rootsnall]

You're making a huge assumption that an umbrella would employee someone (and have to pay them minimum wage) on the back of a contract consisting of a "couple of days here and there".

How would any umbrella know in advance how much work there is going to be ? I would describe my intended work pattern as 'a few days here and there' but I've never known a contract that actually turns out that way.

[Paralytic]

I would have thought an umbrella would be perfect for that. On weekly umbrella billing you'd only get charged when you worked rather than having the set cost of annual accountancy fees. I shut my Ltd and work through a £10 a week umbrella, so if I work 15 weeks this year it'll cost me £150.

You're making a huge assumption that an umbrella would employee someone (and have to pay them minimum wage) on the back of a contract consisting of a "couple of days here and there".

[rootsnall]

How would the umbrella get around this issue?



See Umbrella factsheet 2018.19 FINAL.pdf (litrg.org.uk) for details

Dunno. Not something I was aware of. I guess the poster needs to ring and ask a few umbrellas.

I just re-read the full thread, I have worked enough to meet the criteria but it wasn't raised with me in advance. Maybe they would have flagged it up if I didn't appear to be working that much.

[rootsnall]

Do they let you just dip in and out every week you choose, not want their money every week regardless?

TBH I have worked most weeks even though that wasn't my intention. But on weeks I haven't billed then yes no charge. I was with Liberty Bishop, and then got transferred to JSA, I assume they bought them.

[eek]

I would have thought an umbrella would be perfect for that. On weekly umbrella billing you'd only get charged when you worked rather than having the set cost of annual accountancy fees. I shut my Ltd and work through a £10 a week umbrella, so if I work 15 weeks this year it'll cost me £150.

How would the umbrella get around this issue?

It's all down to the 336 hours we have to guarantee in any annual period, which equates to around 1 day per week.

See Umbrella factsheet 2018.19 FINAL.pdf (litrg.org.uk) for details

[Royston1664]

Do they let you just dip in and out every week you choose, not want their money every week regardless?

[Royston1664]

Ah that's interesting, most of the posts at the start of this thread say this is not possible as "this is the most complicated thing an umbrella company can do"

Which umbrella company do you use if you don't mind me asking.

This would also mean I can MVL and get my funds out so would be perfect.

[rootsnall]

Same for me, just about to finish contract in March, then there is scope for a "couple of days here and there" with same client, sprinkled into my retirement plan.

I'm erring towards keeping the Ltd open and working as a "deemed" contractor through my limited, as with the umbrella fees it wont be worth working a couple of days a month only, even if they let me do this!

There seems to be a few of us in the same boat on this one!

I would have thought an umbrella would be perfect for that. On weekly umbrella billing you'd only get charged when you worked rather than having the set cost of annual accountancy fees. I shut my Ltd and work through a £10 a week umbrella, so if I work 15 weeks this year it'll cost me £150.

[Royston1664]

Same for me, just about to finish contract in March, then there is scope for a "couple of days here and there" with same client, sprinkled into my retirement plan.

I'm erring towards keeping the Ltd open and working as a "deemed" contractor through my limited, as with the umbrella fees it wont be worth working a couple of days a month only, even if they let me do this!

There seems to be a few of us in the same boat on this one!

[BobbinAlong]

I've got the same problem - taking a fixed term contract on payroll so wanting to close my Ltd but wanting to support previous client preferably via umbrella.
The support wouldn't earn enough to keep paying the accountants monthly and I don't really fancy doing all the limited company paperwork myself.

The Ltd is registered at the accountants address too, is that easy to change and what are the implications of basically sacking my accountants (after they've done my just finished year end preferably)??

Company bank account is fairly low too - enough to meet corp tax, vat and accountants fees but little spare.

[rootsnall]

If I can be paid into an existing II SIPP then even better but a different scheme is hardly the end of the world.

I asked the umbrella which SIPPs they already paid into, and opened an HL SIPP for that reason. I'll transfer from HL to my preferred SIPP when I'm finished with the contract.