Welcome to Contractor Supermarket - Umbrella Company

Information Resource for Contractors, Consultants & Freelancers

Contracting Through An Umbrella Company

Find out how you can start contracting and make it work for you. All the information necessary is right here: from starting out guides, tips & advice to help you choose the best umbrella company, IR35 legislation, AWR, complete list of all umbrella companies.

Top 100 umbrella company chart, independent umbrella company reviews, mystery-shop results on every umbrella company, industry myths & FAQs.

What is contracting and how can I become a contractor?
Anyone can be a freelancer, contractor or consultant. Young or old, if you have a skills-set or knowledge that would get you a permanent job - why not consider becoming a contractor instead? Work just the hours that suit you and enjoy the freedom of being your own boss!

You've got the contract, what now?
If you've just landed your first contract, you have one more thing to consider, before your contract start date. You need to get yourself 'limited company status' - an umbrella company is by far the easiest & quickest way to do this.

What is an umbrella company?
An umbrella company is the alternative to having to set-up & manage your own limited company. You get both limited company status and a back-office facility to process your pay. It's the cheapest and easiest way to contract.

Umbrella company myths
There's a lot of nonsense talked about umbrella companies flying around the contracting world. It's really important that you know right from wrong, because getting it wrong will lead you into big trouble with the tax man (HMRC).

Umbrella company FAQs
Don't worry if you don't know much about umbrella companies, you're not alone! We've got together some of the questions others like you have asked. The answers are industry jargon free, and get right to the point. If you have a question not listed here, feel free to drop us an email and we'll get right back to you.

Umbrella company paperwork
Even though an umbrella company is virtually hassle free, you will have some paperwork to complete. There's not much to do, but what there is needs to be done right and on time. Get it right and you'll always be paid on time.

Umbrella company expenses
Carrying out your contract often means you will have to spend money out of your own pocket on things like travel and maybe training. You can reduce your tax bill by claiming such expenses through your umbrella company.

Calling an umbrella company
You can either register with an umbrella company online, or via the telephone. If you decide to call them, you'll need to know what questions to ask. We've listed out what you should ask and what you should know.

10 questions to ask your umbrella company
If this is your first time as a contractor, you may feel a little lost & confused by all that's going on. Relax, we're here to help you! Here are the ten questions you should be asking any umbrella company before you register with them.

IR35
The government introduced new tax laws in 2000, aimed directly at the contracting industry. They wanted to stop people qutting their full time job on a Friday, then returning to the exact same job on Monday - bit as a contractor. It used to happen because the tax laws at the time made it worthwhile.

Paying Employer's National Insurance
Even if you're a contractor you'll still have to pay income tax & (employee's) National Insurance. What you don't pay is Employer's National Insurance - you can't, you're not the employer. Some umbrella companies may say you do, but they're wrong. This article about National Insurance explains it all to you.

Choosing an umbrella company
How do you go about choosing an umbrella company? How would you know what to look out for, what questions to ask or the things to avoid? The answer is you don't, unless you happen to know another contractor who could recommend one to you. This guide will help you pick the right umbrella company for you.

Umbrella company alternatives
You don't have to use an umbrella company when you're contracting, there are some alternatives. Read this contractor guide which walks you through the alternatives to using an umbrella company.