More people are now benefiting from flexible working
Umbrella company contractors will no doubt be interested to learn that more people in the UK are now working flexibly.
Month: September 2010
Temporary immigration cap leads to a social worker shortage
The government’s temporary immigration cap is harming the social work profession according to recent reports in the media. In July, the government imposed a limit of 24,100 skilled workers from non EU countries entering the UK and a permanent immigration cap will be in place next year.
Young umbrella company contractors need to consider pensions
Young umbrella company contractors need to be encouraged to save for their retirement, but in order to make the prospect appealing, the UK pensions industry need to undergo radical reform, according to George Ladds from the Fair Investment Company.
HMRC says it will continue to chase tax underpayment cases
The BBC was recently told by HMRC whistleblowers that the Revenue has been instructed not to chase a lot of underpayment cases that are over two years old and which could be open to a legal challenge; a claim that has been strongly denied by an HMRC spokesman.
Northern companies struggle to obtain finance
New research shows that small businesses, recruiters and umbrella companies in the north have less chance of obtaining business loans than their counterparts in the south.
Interim managers key to business critical change management
Umbrella company contractors will be pleased to hear that the first two quarters of this year saw a 9% increase in the use of interim managers, according to the latest Ipsos MORI survey findings, and 52% of all interim assignments were in the private sector.
Will HMRC clampdown affect umbrella companies?
A fivefold increase in prosecutions against tax evaders could see HMRC bringing 800 people a year to court. In the year to September 30 2009, the Revenue brought 157 prosecutions against individuals.
FSB calls for more competition in the banking sector
The FSB is asking the government to do more to encourage competition in the banking sector. There have been concerns that the current lack of competition could lead us back into recession.
Contractors may have to wait longer for settlement
Rather than reversing the trend for late payments, a new directive from the EU could actually make matters worse, according to the FPB.
Have you considered a contractor pension yet?
It was recently reported that many people are not prepared for the day to day financial changes that take place on retirement and one reason for this could be that we simply do not believe that 65 is old.
HMRC finds £42 billion tax gap
Any contractors currently at work in the UK as either limited companies or sole traders may be interested in a new series of figures recently published by HM Revenue & Customs.
Unemployment rate sends mixed signals, expert says
New data released recently by the Office for National Statistics illustrate that the current rates of unemployment in the country have dropped by an additional 8,000 people for the months of May, June, and July.
New report on entrepreneurs released
UK contractors and freelancers may very well be among a new class of entrepreneurs who are of the belief that the current economic landscape will soon be improving.
Will umbrella companies look wildly different post AWR?
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation has issued a call to contract recruitment agencies, umbrella companies, and the clients they do business with to exercise caution when developing alternative worker policies.
SMEs and contractors face up to public sector cuts
Nearly 150,000 small businesses in the UK are facing fears that they may become insolvent if they cannot maintain their contracts with the public sector.
Government implements savings regime
In a recent announcement by the Government, its Spending Challenge has borne fruit in that three ideas submitted to it through both public sector workers and members of the public will soon be implemented as new governmental policy.