Agencies more and more enforcing their own choice of Umbrellas

[ChrisTruby]

Found some very old posts on this in the search but a mix on more recent stuff. Feel free to kill this post if too repetitive.

I am looking for new work and the calls I am getting more and more agencies are giving me a limited choice of Umbrellas to use. They seem to be the big names but I find it interesting as they say that there has been a lot of due diligence but have noticed that one of them for example has had all sorts of noise around it of late.

Anyone else finding themselves successful at pushing back on these? I have managed to use my current Umbrella for the last 2 contracts and have one that I will use for future work but there seems to be a lot of rubbish to sift through to protect yourself.

Really wanted thoughts on how others are progressing in the pushback on agencies.

[ladymuck]

I haven't had to do it myself but I have anecdotally heard of some agencies being willing to work with other FCSA umbrellas that are not on their PSL.

Sadly, it's not illegal for any firm to be have a PSL but you do have to question what dodgy back office deals are being done when you see some of the companies they choose.

[northernladuk]

The due diligence the agencies carry out is finding how much of a kickback they get from the umbrellas. Some of the big brollies must make peanuts from their employees from what I've heard about kickbacks they pay.

I have also managed to use my choice of umbrella once but seen many instances on here where the agency wouldn't move. I think the big agencies who see kickbacks as a revenue stream won't be flexible. Others that don't rely on it as a business model will be flexible. Have to take it on a case by case basis.

[cojak]

Just to be clear - I would not take a contract if the agency's PSL looked dodgy (without any legit umbrellas).

[eek]

Just to be clear - I would not take a contract if the agency's PSL looked dodgy (without any legit umbrellas).

I wouldn't take a contract if I couldn't use my preferred compliant umbrella. Heck I would bin the agency and contract before CV submission stage - incredibly rare for a contract to be sole agency nowadays.

[ChrisTruby]

It must be kickbacks and the umbrellas they do not do the "handshake" are being left behind.

Am checking now on flexibility on umbrella before starting engaging the recruiters. New addition to the checklist.

[lucyclarityumbrella]

It'd be interesting to see what due diligence checks have been done on the umbrella's. To give some of the agencies some credit, they have been very thorough with the checks rather than relying on accreditation.

[cmscotland]

I was called about a role with one of the big banks last week, they give you a choice of 3 Umbrella's one of which was victim to a Cyber Attack a year ago and still hasn't paid me properly .....

[eek]

I was called about a role with one of the big banks last week, they give you a choice of 3 Umbrella's one of which was victim to a Cyber Attack a year ago and still hasn't paid me properly .....

That may be the agency - the agency I'm with gave me the choice of any FCSA one (which was fine as otherwise I would have gone elsewhere)..

[chineseJohn]

I've landed an Inside IR35 contract I found myself, I have to go via the Umbrella route.
The agency I have found, yes I'm doing this in reverse order, is saying I can only go via PSL route due to "audit issues in the past".
I have an Umbrella option available (FCSA accredited) without additional charge via my accountants obviously I don't want to pay for an umbrella.

I've found another agency who allow me to use my own Umbrella, unless the original one backs down.