That escalated quickly

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It looks like the FCSA are being sued by the 4 Cypriot owned umbrellas: https://caseboard.io/cases/4dd7154e-...4-e846aaf62687

[courtg9000]

Grabs cup of tea and pack of choccy digestives!

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I assumed that all this was due to the FCSA requirement than an umbrella can't be majority owned by foreign individuals/business but I've since seen someone in a different forum suggesting that it's due to the "sins of a another member of the group". I suspect the individual make that point is linked to the FCSA given the context of the comment so there could be some truth to what they say.

Though from my point of view, none of the 4 companies have any kind of reputation for doing anything they shouldn't.

It's all a bit strange and I think it's about time that someone from the FCSA at least acknowledged publicly that there's something going on.

[jamesbrown]

I assumed that all this was due to the FCSA requirement than an umbrella can't be majority owned by foreign individuals/business but I've since seen someone in a different forum suggesting that it's due to the "sins of a another member of the group". I suspect the individual make that point is linked to the FCSA given the context of the comment so there could be some truth to what they say.

Though from my point of view, none of the 4 companies have any kind of reputation for doing anything they shouldn't.

It's all a bit strange and I think it's about time that someone from the FCSA at least acknowledged publicly that there's something going on.

That's not going to happen with legal action underway. Again, I don't think there are any constraints on foreign ownership, merely that the umbrellas are UK based and have 75% of their operations in the UK. For those of us that don't know the people involved, we'll just have to wait, but it wasn't about foreign ownership, pretty sure of that.

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That's not going to happen with legal action underway. Again, I don't think there are any constraints on foreign ownership, merely that the umbrellas are UK based and have 75% of their operations in the UK. For those of us that don't know the people involved, we'll just have to wait, but it wasn't about foreign ownership, pretty sure of that.

Ah, I've always had it in my head that majority foreign ownership was a no-no but you're right. I've just read the codes and it's all about UK "operations" rather than ownership. So given that, I suspect it may come down to "fit and proper" issues with the owners? I know that there have been connections between Cyprus and the Isle of Man exposed on the HMRC name and shame list in the past. We will have to wait and see. I'll get some popcorn ready.

[agentzero]

I spread the net wide to try and find out why the FCSA have been so quiet on the prior discussion about Clarity, Lucy, and the linked businesses. I finally acquired off the record information from two separate sources and I think it's fair to say this performative theatrics in the form of legal action will go nowhere.

The most disappointing thing about this experience is the defensiveness within the other main Clarity thread and then rubbish about libel action. By all means have mods remove a single post if it asserts something without evidence and is libelous, but if the main premise of Clarity now having a parent company and ownership changes were proven using Companies House and effectively hidden in the form of not being broadcast. Posts on this forum from Lucy @ Clarity are as if nothing changed since May 2025, even when a linked business was queried by a forum poster looking for information.

Fair credit to WTFH and Cojak for keeping the thread up but closing it. I wasn't impressed with Eek's mention of libel action, which is an effort to close discussion on a thread that produced valuable information for people unfamiliar with the goings on in an already fraught umbrella industry. The information in the thread provided help to me in piecing things together.

Eek might be closer to the action and good for them, but for normal contractors forced inside ir35 none of this is a good look and the silence from Clarity, Lucy and linked businesses here speaks volumes.

Similar disappointed directed at the FCSA and Chris for not posting anything here whatsoever, even if just a note of acknowledgement. I accept Chris Bryce might be unwell and unavailable and hope that's the reason.

[sadkingbilly]

I spread the net wide to try and find out why the FCSA have been so quiet on the prior discussion about Clarity, Lucy, and the linked businesses. I finally acquired off the record information from two separate sources and I think it's fair to say this performative theatrics in the form of legal action will go nowhere.

The most disappointing thing about this experience is the defensiveness within the other main Clarity thread and then rubbish about libel action. By all means have mods remove a single post if it asserts something without evidence and is libelous, but if the main premise of Clarity now having a parent company and ownership changes were proven using Companies House and effectively hidden in the form of not being broadcast. Posts on this forum from Lucy @ Clarity are as if nothing changed since May 2025, even when a linked business was queried by a forum poster looking for information.

Fair credit to WTFH and Cojak for keeping the thread up but closing it. I wasn't impressed with Eek's mention of libel action, which is an effort to close discussion on a thread that produced valuable information for people unfamiliar with the goings on in an already fraught umbrella industry. The information in the thread provided help to me in piecing things together.

Eek might be closer to the action and good for them, but for normal contractors forced inside ir35 none of this is a good look and the silence from Clarity, Lucy and linked businesses here speaks volumes.

Similar disappointed directed at the FCSA and Chris for not posting anything here whatsoever, even if just a note of acknowledgement. I accept Chris Bryce might be unwell and unavailable and hope that's the reason.

hmmmmmmmmmmmm.