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GeneralRe: Bangkok's Porcelain Pride Pin
Slacker0072-Oct-14 2:33
professionalSlacker0072-Oct-14 2:33 
GeneralRe: Bangkok's Porcelain Pride Pin
Mike Hankey2-Oct-14 2:42
mveMike Hankey2-Oct-14 2:42 
GeneralRe: Bangkok's Porcelain Pride Pin
Mark_Wallace2-Oct-14 6:31
Mark_Wallace2-Oct-14 6:31 
GeneralContract Umbrella Pin
Nagy Vilmos2-Oct-14 1:50
professionalNagy Vilmos2-Oct-14 1:50 
GeneralRe: Contract Umbrella Pin
_Maxxx_2-Oct-14 2:06
professional_Maxxx_2-Oct-14 2:06 
GeneralRe: Contract Umbrella Pin
_Maxxx_2-Oct-14 2:25
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GeneralRe: Contract Umbrella Pin
PhilLenoir2-Oct-14 3:43
professionalPhilLenoir2-Oct-14 3:43 
GeneralRe: Contract Umbrella Pin
Orjan Westin2-Oct-14 4:50
professionalOrjan Westin2-Oct-14 4:50 
Well, there are two different things - umbrella companies and limited companies. (Assuming you're talking about the UK here.)

Using an umbrella company means that you are employed by the umbrella company, and they are employed by your client to provide your services. You get all timesheets and expenses signed off by the client, and send them to the umbrella company administrators who then invoice the client. Once they get the money, they deduct the Employer's National Insurance, their fee (usually £50-£150 per month), the Employee's National Insurance, and Income Tax, and pay you the remainder. In the eyes of HMRC, you are just another employee of the umbrella company, though the difference to you is that you don't get any sick or holiday pay. The takehome is usually in the 60% region.

Some umbrella companies also supply accountancy and administration for limited companies. In this case, they help you set up a limited company, run and owned by yourself, which employs you. The benefit of this is that you can pay yourself a small salary, and take out the company profits as dividends, which avoids the National Insurance payments, and are taxed at a lower rate. Takehome after accountant's fees and the small amount of tax is often in the 90% region. No Gary Barlow?Jimmy Carr shenanigans - this is perfectly legal and in wide use.

In both cases, what you can put down as business expenses are pretty much the same.

However, because the limited company route offers an easy way of legally avoiding tax, the government put in restrictions over a decade ago (google RIPA legislation), which effectively says that if you are interchangeable with an employee of the client, you can not claim to be a contractor in the RIPA sense, so will have to pay income tax and national insurance.

As a rule of thumb, the first contract you go for with a limited company had better be a clear case of you being a contractor, not a disguised employee, as HMRC tend to look closely at these to make sure they qualify.

When I do contracts, I usually work with NASA Umbrella Ltd, who've always provided a good service, and were honest in saying when my situation was unsuitable for a limited company, and when it was.

Oh, and IANAL. Seek the advice of an accountant.

HTH, HAND.
NewsCare for a cup of poo beans? Pin
Slacker0072-Oct-14 1:31
professionalSlacker0072-Oct-14 1:31 
GeneralRe: Care for a cup of poo beans? Pin
RUs1232-Oct-14 2:09
RUs1232-Oct-14 2:09 
GeneralRe: Care for a cup of poo beans? Pin
Mike Hankey2-Oct-14 2:46
mveMike Hankey2-Oct-14 2:46 
GeneralRe: Care for a cup of poo beans? Pin
#realJSOP2-Oct-14 3:12
professional#realJSOP2-Oct-14 3:12 
JokeWindows 10 Pin
Bassam Abdul-Baki2-Oct-14 0:15
professionalBassam Abdul-Baki2-Oct-14 0:15 
GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Oso Oluwafemi Ebenezer2-Oct-14 0:22
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Bassam Abdul-Baki2-Oct-14 1:22
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Pete O'Hanlon2-Oct-14 1:20
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Bassam Abdul-Baki2-Oct-14 1:23
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
_Maxxx_2-Oct-14 1:26
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Corporal Agarn2-Oct-14 1:26
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Slacker0072-Oct-14 1:27
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Keith Barrow2-Oct-14 1:35
professionalKeith Barrow2-Oct-14 1:35 
GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Bassam Abdul-Baki2-Oct-14 1:51
professionalBassam Abdul-Baki2-Oct-14 1:51 
AnswerRe: Windows 10 Pin
HobbyProggy2-Oct-14 1:54
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Joe Woodbury2-Oct-14 5:54
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GeneralRe: Windows 10 Pin
Bassam Abdul-Baki2-Oct-14 6:00
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