Exact Payroll

[youngguy]

if you are still with this agency check Nasa can cope with the issue - Clarity can, price will be the same and if the agency wants reassurance that everything is above board that won't be an issue...

It really is the Wild West (as you well know).

Alas it's the usual PSL issue with Clarity, otherwise they'd be my first choice hands down

[eek]

My agency works on a 4 week month, not a calendar month (ie the timesheet is from mid January to mid February).....this causes Exact (and me!) issues every month, as they either try to take my pension from Jan (2 weeks, not the 4) or from Jan and Feb (a double pension deduction)
Of course they knew this before I signed up. When issues arose they blamed the agency and then told me their system doesn't like it so I'd have to change how I did things. I changed and they still get it wrong and then blamed me for not reminding them how odd my agency agency is

Um, that was all their fault - Papdis reporting isn't exactly difficult...

If they fall over on things like that I dread to think how they would handle things I know other umbrella's quietly deal with.

if you are still with this agency check Nasa can cope with the issue - Clarity can, price will be the same and if the agency wants reassurance that everything is above board that won't be an issue...

[youngguy]

I'm stuck with these jokers, as they were the "best" of a bad bunch on the PSL. I mean, they seem legit - but they're not great. Crap systems, seems like a back bedroom operation.

Was with Paystream before and I'd love to go back

Back bedroom operation sums it up I think. I made a subject access request and they didn't know what one was....

[youngguy]

Love to know the reasons they gave to blame an agency for pension issues.

agency sends umbrella money
Umbrella does what they want with the money.

The only relationship between the agency and the umbrella is timesheets, invoices and payment of assignment fees / invoices.

My agency works on a 4 week month, not a calendar month (ie the timesheet is from mid January to mid February).....this causes Exact (and me!) issues every month, as they either try to take my pension from Jan (2 weeks, not the 4) or from Jan and Feb (a double pension deduction)
Of course they knew this before I signed up. When issues arose they blamed the agency and then told me their system doesn't like it so I'd have to change how I did things. I changed and they still get it wrong and then blamed me for not reminding them how odd my agency agency is

[eek]

Love to know the reasons they gave to blame an agency for pension issues.

agency sends umbrella money
Umbrella does what they want with the money.

The only relationship between the agency and the umbrella is timesheets, invoices and payment of assignment fees / invoices.

[vwdan]

I'm stuck with these jokers, as they were the "best" of a bad bunch on the PSL. I mean, they seem legit - but they're not great. Crap systems, seems like a back bedroom operation.

Was with Paystream before and I'd love to go back

[youngguy]

Leaving this should someone be searching for a review in 2021 / 2022


I was with Exact for the last half of 2021. I moved to them from Orange as I hoped a smaller outfit may be a bit more service orientated.

To be fair, many of the issues are similar to every other umbrella I've heard of. Volume is high, margins are low so when they work all is well, but if you have a problem customer service and problem resolution is very poor.

Some specific things I experienced with Exact were:-

Incorrect information at sign up. The sales guy said everything was possible (and confirmed it in writing), only for it to then transpire that what he said was untrue. This led to me having to administer my pension differently. Exact blamed how my agency did things even though I pointed out that I had told them which agency I was with. It turns out the sales guy gave me the generic 'usual' answers that applied 'to most'.

For a small company (20 or so employees) they are incredibly uncoordinated. I had 3 major issue in 6 months and when I called the Accounts team (who created the issue) they told me it was a payroll issue and they couldn't help. I was then passed to the payroll team who pushed me back to accounts. This happened 4 times in 6 months.

Blame is put on you.
On my first payslip I was told it wasn't due yet (it was). Turns out the person I spoke to had assumed I was on a monthly pay cycle ....but they didn't actually check /look my record up.

On two occasions I contacted their 'Accountant' and asked if something could be done with my pension payment. I was told in writing all was well and had been actioned...only for it to go monumentally wrong (costing me money). At this point the Accountant told me it was a payroll issue and nothing to do with him. I then had to sort it myself with payroll, only to be told it was my fault for the way I asked the question as the accountant calculated it one way due to me not telling him exactly how to calculate it. Of course I had no sight of the figures nor any knowledge of how their systems work and it was baffling to see them take no responsibility whatsoever.

In my experience Exact make mistakes then blame anyone else (your pension provider, your agency, youyo

[eek]

Not heard of Exact...Im with Parasol, seem ok..but they do make a big deal of the (admittedly limited) expenses you can claim, I put in a (I thought) legitimate expenses for Office 365 subscription which was £5 a month but faced lots of questions about it which I found annoying, Id rather they just say yes or no...on the plus side did sort out my salary sacrifice pension and also easily allowed me to put off my start date with them (Im going to work upto the wire as Outside ir35 in current role).

I suspect the £8 quoted maybe the net figure you pay, the gross being £10, which is what Parasol charge.

There shouldnt really be much to choose from for Umbrellas, main ones being their margin and pension arrangements, unless of course you are completely insane and choose someone like Payeworx (which has separate thread here).

FTFY - sorry but sarcasm doesn't work online you need to be very clear.

[andydd68]

Morning all

I have just got contract and need to get paid via umbrella. I used to use parasol before but getting mixed reviews after reading here. My agency recommends Exact Payroll ltd which has fees of £8 per week.
I am not finding any reviews on them here. Anyone have anything by any chance? been researching umbrella company for pasy few hours and its like confusing as hell!

Thing is i am only contracting for 8 weeks max probs maybe less so better the rate for the short time the better.

Thanks in advance

Not heard of Exact...Im with Parasol, seem ok..but they do make a big deal of the (admittedly limited) expenses you can claim, I put in a (I thought) legitimate expenses for Office 365 subscription which was £5 a month but faced lots of questions about it which I found annoying, Id rather they just say yes or no...on the plus side did sort out my salary sacrifice pension and also easily allowed me to put off my start date with them (Im going to work upto the wire as Outside ir35 in current role).

I suspect the £8 quoted maybe the net figure you pay, the gross being £10, which is what Parasol charge.

There shouldnt really be much to choose from for Umbrellas, main ones being their margin and pension arrangements, unless of course you choose someone like Payeworx (which has separate thread here).

[eek]

Well I don’t know how you can cover costs on £8 a week but they are an FCSA member and it’s only 8 weeks so just use them