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The government has created numerous support packages to help small businesses and contractors during the coronavirus pandemic. This includes the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme and a similar scheme designed exclusively for the self-employed. This blog will summarise what support is available to small business owners, contractors and freelancers.

As things stand, Churchill Knight Umbrella is still unable to offer furloughed leave to our umbrella clients. At such an unprecedented time, we understand that our clients need financial support more than ever before. This is why we are urging the government to provide much-needed clarification on how umbrella companies process Holiday Pay and the Apprenticeship Levy.

As a way of supporting businesses and employees throughout the UK during the unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, the government has unveiled the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). You are now able to claim using this scheme, as the system went live on Monday 20th April.

Umbrella companies will provide you with an illustration to give you an idea of what your take home pay is likely to be after all relevant deductions have been made. While these illustrations are as accurate as possible, it is important to remember that they are only examples, and your actual take home may differ slightly.

According to the Office of National Statistics, less than 30% of the UK’s workforce have experienced working from home for themselves (data before the COVID-19 pandemic). However, as the threat of coronavirus has forced the government to implement a UK-wide lockdown, these figures have soared as millions of workers have been told they must work from home for the foreseeable future.

With so many umbrella companies to choose from, how do you know which one is best for your circumstances? A great way to start is to identify an umbrella company that is a member of the FCSA. To obtain FCSA membership, umbrella companies have to be able to prove they operate compliantly with HMRC rules, and regulations and this means you’ll be in the safest hands. After all, were you aware that if you use a non-compliant payroll provider, even by mistake, you could face severe penalties in the future?

On Saturday 4th April, the government released more information on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS). Interestingly, the updated guidance specifically references “umbrella companies”. While this is positive, there are still plenty of unanswered questions and the FCSA has described the new information as “contradictory”.

Around 20,000 former NHS and retired healthcare workers have returned to work to support people affected by coronavirus. If you are returning to work and are required to use an umbrella company, look out for the FCSA accreditation to ensure the provider you are using is compliant.

To help support the UK’s workforce, the government has unveiled the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme. While “the scheme is welcomed by the FCSA”, there is a lot of missing information and there is a genuine worry that agency workers could fall through the cracks.

Before you register with an umbrella company, you may decide to get a few illustrations to compare your net take home. Despite providing the same day rate for the calculations, your monthly illustrations are showing different take home pay figures. Our blog explains why umbrella companies may be quoting you differently.