Is there an umbrella company where you can choose your pension and other benefits?

[GDL]

Public sector contract - considering a brolly but would like to choose what's included.

Any suggestions?

[northernladuk]

Dunno but IMO you should have a chat to Lucy at ContractorUmbrella. They appear to me to be one of the more proactive ones and they run the All Umbrellas Are Equal thing so should have a good idea of the market.

[lucyclarityumbrella]

Hi GDL

If you are looking at Pensions, then you would have to use the Group Pension Scheme operated by the chosen umbrella. You can only gain the salary sacrifice element if you use their provider. If you are looking to make payments into an existing pension scheme you would then have to declare these via self-assessment but I think this then means that won't gain the NI benefit. As for other benefits, nowadays via a brolly this is very limited, to pensions, childcare vouchers and GAYE... Best benefit you will get from a brolly is how well they will look after you

If you want a chat - do let me know!

[psychocandy]

Just avoid Sterling. All they'll let you do is pay minimum employer/employee pension and no more. Defeats the object somewhat.

Not cost effective (i.e. dont save NI) by making AVCs direct.

[northernladuk]

Isn't that what most permies do?

[psychocandy]

All you brolly users - do you manage to pay more than the minimum into pension via brolly?

Seems an ideal opportunity to me. Why not pay in more to save tax/NI?

Trouble is my existing brolly (Sterling- crap) only do the minimum into NEST. Other than that they only do AVCs (which negates any NI saving). I've asked a few others and it seems to be a common theme - i.e. we do the minimum because we have to by law but we're not really interested in doing anything else.

[lucyclarityumbrella]

Ours can

[psychocandy]

Ours can

Lucy as you know I'd sign up with you if I could but I can't unfortunately. I will ask agency again though ;-)

If not, know any of your competitors who do the same?

[lucyclarityumbrella]

Lucy as you know I'd sign up with you if I could but I can't unfortunately. I will ask agency again though ;-)

If not, know any of your competitors who do the same?

I know not a clue to be honest with you - sorry!

[psychocandy]

Hmm, speaking to a few umbrellas. Naming no names but one is swearing blind that I can claim expenses for a Public Sector inside IR35 role. Apparently, as long as there is no SDC which was changed in 2016.

Methinks they've been in a coma for the past year.

I think I'll cross that one off my list.....