Contractor can choose umbrella?

[Maslins]

Appreciate there'll be some variation here, but generally speaking does:

1) the contractor choose their umbrella organisation, and they stick with that umbrella as they move from end client to end client? Or
2) does the end client choose the umbrella organisation, and if a contractor moves from one end client to another, typically this means changing umbrella too (unless the same umbrella is on "approved list" for each end client)?

Yes I have a vested interest, vaguely toying with the idea of us setting up our own umbrella company given the Apr 2020 changes...however, if the answer to the above is virtually always (2) then seems little point!

[BrilloPad]

1)

[northernladuk]

First off I haven't seen anything about end clients. It's all been agencies that are dictating the umbrella they will work with. Assuming you meant agency then....

Looking the evidence on here it's more often going to be 2. I was very lucky that when I did an inside PS gig the agency were more than happy to take on my suggestion and take them through some compliance docs. The number of postings on here would say that's not normal. They were linked to some of the biggest agencies as well so 2) has to be the most common option, but by how much I don't know.

[Anonimouse]

Agencies dictate, and due to the stupid auto enroll pension ****** you end up with tuppence here and thruppence there with no way of amalgamating them

[Maslins]

So, 2/3 (from huge sample of 3!) saying agency chooses...hence if we don't kiss the right butts/pay the right bungs, it's probably a non-starter.

[bstar1]

Agencies dictate, and due to the stupid auto enroll pension ****** you end up with tuppence here and thruppence there with no way of amalgamating them

Not all, only some!

[northernladuk]

So, 2/3 (from huge sample of 3!) saying agency chooses...hence if we don't kiss the right butts/pay the right bungs, it's probably a non-starter.

But then there is all the evidence in the umbrella section of people asking about which umbrella to pick from the agents list. I'm on the mobile at the moment but will dig a few examples out in a bit. There's been quite a few so if you assume a fairly small majority asks it would appear to be pretty popular.

I believe Contractor Umbrella were struggling to get on the lists as they were unwilling to pay the size of the kick backs being asked. Only the big guys could make it work. Might want to see if Lucy can tell you more.

[NotAllThere]

If for one contract you're with one brolly, and for another you're with another, then you've shifted work location due to change of employer, and can't claim it's a temporary location - so no T&S.

[Maslins]

I believe Contractor Umbrella were struggling to get on the lists as they were unwilling to pay the size of the kick backs being asked. Only the big guys could make it work. Might want to see if Lucy can tell you more.

Cheers. Yeah we've pointed a few people Contractor Umbrella's way over the years, as they seem to have a good rep. However I would (understandably) doubt Lucy would be happy giving us tips on how best to try to be reasonable competition!

Although isn't Contractor Umbrella under the same...err...umbrella as SJD? Or had some link to Simon Dolan, something like that? Sorry if I've got this wrong, just thought they were in a reasonably good position to be one of the "big guys". Anything new we set up would inevitably have support from Maslins which would give a little bit of a head start over from scratch...but Maslins don't quite have the clout of SJD!

[northernladuk]

Cheers. Yeah we've pointed a few people Contractor Umbrella's way over the years, as they seem to have a good rep. However I would (understandably) doubt Lucy would be happy giving us tips on how best to try to be reasonable competition!

Although isn't Contractor Umbrella under the same...err...umbrella as SJD? Or had some link to Simon Dolan, something like that? Sorry if I've got this wrong, just thought they were in a reasonably good position to be one of the "big guys". Anything new we set up would inevitably have support from Maslins which would give a little bit of a head start over from scratch...but Maslins don't quite have the clout of SJD!

Simon sold SJD years ago. He's always kept hold of CU. He's got his new accountancy and he's moved CU under the new branding. Lucy isn't with CU now so I'm sure she won't mind helping.

SJD Accountancy and Nixon Williams in GBP100 million acquisition