Clarity is back as an FCSA member

[Nothing to see here]

Nothing to do with Clarity, but responding to Eek's points about PSLs and Saferec not picking up VAT debts:

You'd think that the owners of Honest Payroll would have responded to the article in some way but it seems like radio silence. They have phoenixed as Honest Payroll Group and it looks like they are portraying things as business as usual on their socials. I've just been reading the administrator's report and it seems that the administrator hasn't been provided with details of the inter company payments despite repeated attempts to get the info. It's all a bit strange.

[agentzero]

Ah, but that could now change overnight as Lucy is no longer a person of significant control. The ultimate owner does matter. Also, I can't say that anyone comes out of this debacle looking great. Personally, I would think carefully about whether you want to hassle. Until recent events, I would've always recommended Clarity and used them myself if I were ever in the unfortunate position of needing an Umbrella, but I don't think I would anymore. Damage is done, IMHO.

This is the part that is of concern. Lucy seems a decent person but she can be the most reliable person in business in the UK and unfortunately any actions taken by the Cyprus based parent business can ruin that despite her own best efforts. That is really the issue here and to pretend otherwise is obfuscation.

The lack of announcement of business change and having to find out on this forum in a strange way is going to be the issue for most contractors concerned. If your limited company is owned by another, all the assurances in the world don't remove the risk of the parent company behaving in a manner not consistent with the ethics of the owned business.

People can judge their own level of risk. I think the damage is done, just as JamesBrown has said.

The friends I have, now up to 3 that were with Clarity, still have to move umbrellas as the move is enforced by PSR (Public Sector Resourcing). Beware of nepotism and rose tinted glasses. I think the mods here should know that people have a right to be annoyed equally at the Quitron situation and also with the FCSA. The umbrella industry is convoluted and opaque as it is without things like this happening.

Given the volume of money involved I think choosing an umbrella company is unnecessarily difficult and should I need one myself, having nearly went into a high paying inside ir35 in 2022, I had no idea then and still have no idea which umbrella I would choose. The industry reform from April 2026 might help or might not, maybe Eek can comment on the upcoming changes. It shouldn't be this hard, given inside ir35 is pseudo employee with almost none of the benefits of true contracting.

Best of luck to all and hopefully the FCSA will comment soon.

[agentzero]

You'd think that the owners of Honest Payroll would have responded to the article in some way but it seems like radio silence. They have phoenixed as Honest Payroll Group and it looks like they are portraying things as business as usual on their socials. I've just been reading the administrator's report and it seems that the administrator hasn't been provided with details of the inter company payments despite repeated attempts to get the info. It's all a bit strange.

Forgive me, what relation does this have to Clarity, Quitron, FCSA membership? I don't see the link after checking Companies House and a database showing companies with financial links to Honest Payroll. I think you should edit or remove your post unless you provide an explanation.

[cojak]

Forgive me, what relation does this have to Clarity, Quitron, FCSA membership? I don't see the link after checking Companies House and a database showing companies with financial links to Honest Payroll. I think you should edit or remove your post unless you provide an explanation.

Yes, I would be interested in that as well.

[WTFH]

I think the mods here should know that people have a right to be annoyed.

People have a right to be annoyed.
But there's a difference between "being annoyed" and "presenting false information as facts".
Equally "being annoyed" and "a witch hunt" are different things. There are some posters who have been very quick to jump on any thread about Clarity claiming to have never used them but knowing everything about them, etc, and it comes across a bit stalker-ish, or like it's a personal vendetta for them to spread their opinions & theories as facts.

[sadkingbilly]

People have a right to be annoyed.
But there's a difference between "being annoyed" and "presenting false information as facts".
Equally "being annoyed" and "a witch hunt" are different things. There are some posters who have been very quick to jump on any thread about Clarity claiming to have never used them but knowing everything about them, etc, and it comes across a bit stalker-ish, or like it's a personal vendetta for them to spread their opinions & theories as facts.

you're replying to the main one.

[agentzero]

People have a right to be annoyed.
But there's a difference between "being annoyed" and "presenting false information as facts".
Equally "being annoyed" and "a witch hunt" are different things. There are some posters who have been very quick to jump on any thread about Clarity claiming to have never used them but knowing everything about them, etc, and it comes across a bit stalker-ish, or like it's a personal vendetta for them to spread their opinions & theories as facts.

Sorry, you're biased towards this person Lucy. If you don't see that, that's your problem. Nothing I wrote was unsubstantiated, and people should always check on Companies House to follow any trail suggested in this forum. Trust but verify.

Checking the history of a company is something anybody can do and isn't stalker activity, it is due diligence. I don't know anything about Lucy except what she's posted here on the forum. If you're suggested someone shouldn't use Companies House as that's "a bit stalker-ish", maybe you need to go to the police. Of course, it isn't stalker-ish, so they'll laugh at you.

The solution for all this was for Clarity to provide clarity, but none was forthcoming. They did a business deal earlier this year and a Cypriot company has taken over from a control perspective. That's all the matters. They can have FCSA membership all they want, but they are naive if they think offshore holdings are normal, and anybody defending that isn't to be trusted.

I doubt none of my 3 friends would have heard of this situation until PSR got in touch if I hadn't done some basic searches online. Similarly, you were very happy to jump on the thread to defend without much research. I was accidentally tipped off about it in a passing conversation with one of my accountants. Anybody can check companieshouse.gov.uk and see the info is correct, Lucy resigned 20th June as person of significant control. I asked a best friend of their experience and they suggested nothing had changed, which I knew wasn't true. I then looked up the register for Quitron holdings and seen they had been struck off, only to save it in time. The FCSA then got in touch with agencies and then agencies got in touch with contractors telling them to choose another FCSA approved umbrella. The FCSA are silent on the matter. Is that all normal, to you?

I am shocked at the defence of what has happened and think it is very obvious Clarity should have announced the change and explained Lucy was still in charge. The FCSA taking action would've still been a shock, but at least nothing was disguised. As it is, to translate this into some personal vendetta is nonsense and I won't be responding any more.

People are busy parents and have busy lives, they don't have time to be jumping about constantly tracing companies and all was only revealed because of a poster on this forum. Thanks go to them.

Just because you like or know somebody doesn't remove that control of a business has been relinquished. Business is business and too many people here are trying to pretend it's personal with the FCSA or Clarity.

[agentzero]

Yes, I would be interested in that as well.

They posted a similar summary with an article on the other thread and I thought it was a mistake, but they've posted the same information here again. I can't see any link and WTFH this is what "unsubstantiated" looks like, because there is no link, not anything I posted.

[Nothing to see here]

Forgive me, what relation does this have to Clarity, Quitron, FCSA membership? I don't see the link after checking Companies House and a database showing companies with financial links to Honest Payroll. I think you should edit or remove your post unless you provide an explanation.

There's no connection as far as I'm aware. I was just responding to Eek's post where he brought it up.

[Nothing to see here]

Yes, I would be interested in that as well.

Eek posted in this thread and mentioned it. Just responding to that post. I'm pretty sure there's no connection between Clarity and Honest. I've edited my response to add context.