Articles and information in relation to UK Payroll for business, employers and employees.
There were loads of changes that came into force recently during the month of October 2026 and one item for Scotland in November 2026. Employment tribunal time limits Time limits for making a claim to an employment tribunal have increased to 6 months. This change happened on 1st October 2026. The previous time limit was … Continue reading Employment Rights Act 2025 – what’s next?
What are umbrella companies? Umbrella companies are employment intermediaries that employ workers on behalf of agencies and end clients. Many umbrella companies operate diligently, supporting their employees and providing convenience and administrative benefits for agencies. Some appear to be involved in tax avoidance However, too many are used to facilitate non-compliance including tax avoidance and … Continue reading Umbrellas — rules to tackle non-compliance
HMRC is aware that businesses are being approached by organisations offering models which falsely claim to be able to reduce employment costs through ‘tax credits’ offset from third party businesses they have acquired. HMRC considers these arrangements tax evasion. HMRC is aware that businesses are being approached by organisations offering models which falsely claim to be able to reduce … Continue reading Tax fraud warning for employment agencies and employers
Competition and Market Authority (CMA)’s investigation into sports broadcasting and production companies colluding on rates of pay for freelance workers. In March 2025, the CMA found that some of the largest sports broadcast and production companies in the UK shared sensitive information about fees for freelance workers such as camera operators, sound technicians and producers. This related … Continue reading £4.2 million pay fix fines
For those who operate a limited company, Companies House (CH) are introducing a single sign-in to make it easier and more secure for companies and business owners to access their services. The move to GOV.UK One Login means companies of all sizes are to benefit from a more secure, consistent way of accessing CH services … Continue reading Access to Companies House WebFiling accounts to move to GOV.UK One Login
The government says it is committed to closing the tax gap and making the tax system fairer. Good and bad umbrella Many umbrella companies operate diligently, supporting their employees and providing convenience and administrative benefits for agencies. ..too many are used to facilitate non-compliance However, too many are used to facilitate non-compliance including tax avoidance … Continue reading Non-compliant umbrellas to be tackled
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have published promotional information on how to spot the signs of disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes. Tax avoidance does not pay: most schemes do not work. Those who use tax avoidance schemes may end up paying more than the tax they tried to avoid as well as interest and potentially … Continue reading Spotting disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes
New PAYE service announced to save around 35 million taxpayers’ time. At least 90% of taxpayer interactions with HMRC to be digital by 2030. Reducing post and letters to save £50 million a year – equal to almost 1,500 full time nurses. Workers are set to take control of their tax affairs as the government announced on … Continue reading Workers to take control of their tax affairs with new HMRC services
Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat commit to further strengthening security checks on delivery riders to prevent illegal working in the gig economy. Deliveroo, Uber Eats, and Just Eat are to strengthen verification checks on delivery riders to clamp down on illegal working, following talks with the government. The commitment comes after ministers convened the … Continue reading Delivery firms to bolster efforts to stop illegal working
Nationwide clampdown on delivery riders working illegally Ramp-up of arrests and visits set to take place across the UK targeting migrants working illegally in the gig economy The U.K. government Home Office Enforcement teams are gearing up to launch a nationwide blitz targeting illegal working hotspots, with a focus on the gig economy and migrants … Continue reading Delivery riders working illegally!
With HMRC clamping down on some umbrella organisations, and new regulatory obligations also being introduced, some employees are finding that the are being transferred from one umbrella to another. HM Revenue and customs have issued guidance for those who are potentially being targeted and involved in tax avoidance arrangements which don’t work. HMRC provide the … Continue reading Being moved between umbrellas?
The June 2025 Employer Bulletin has outlined and shared resources for umbrella employer organisation, their users and associated employees. The HMRC published and named tax avoidance schemes list contains a sizeable number of umbrella organisations who have been found to be promoting and operating tax avoidance schemes which don’t work. New guidance and tools for … Continue reading Umbrella employers – good practice updates
Actions to take as an umbrella company to support compliance and best practice in the temporary labour market. Prior evidence has indicated that around 70% of umbrella organisations may have been involved in either promoting or operating tax avoidance schemes, some to public sector workforces in Health and Local Government. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) … Continue reading Good practice umbrella companies
Changes to company size thresholds for off-payroll working Where an engager or business needs to consider the off-payroll working (OPW) rules there is an important change relating to company size thresholds. From 6th April 2025, the government thresholds that determine if a company is classified as ‘small’ change. This means that for accounting periods beginning … Continue reading IR35 Off Payroll Working – trigger threshold change
Analysis shows that umbrella companies were used to engage at least 700,000 workers in 2022 to 2023. This also shows that at least 275,000 of these workers, and likely significantly more, were engaged at some point in 2022 to 2023 by umbrella companies that failed to comply with their tax obligations. These schemes can leave … Continue reading Tackling umbrella non-compliance
The image of the umbrella is significant as many of the named tax avoidance and those issued with official stop notices are umbrella organisations. Some even operate across the public sector. The workers are not all high paid, and the resulting tax bill for tax not paid on what is earnings, wages, employment income, can … Continue reading Tax Avoidance promoters – the list keeps growing – now over 120+
As part of the October 2024 Employer Bulletin, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) are asking employers to to assist with protecting workers from getting caught using tax avoidance schemes which do not work. The HMRC tax avoidance ‘don’t get caught out’ campaign helps workers such as contractors spot the signs of bad tax advice and understand their … Continue reading Help protect workers from getting caught out by tax avoidance
HMRC have added Blizzard Pay Ltd (BPL) to their named list of tax avoidance scheme promoters. So how did Blizzard claim to work? Individuals within the Blizzard Umbrella provided services to end clients as employees of BPL. Employees receive part of their BPL remuneration at a rate close to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage which … Continue reading Blizzard added to the tax avoidance promoters list
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have increased the number of named tax avoidance schemes, promoters, enablers and suppliers, update 18th July 2024. New additions: B2BTradecard Ltd New Mill Resourcing Ltd Umbrella Zone Limited If you are involved in any of the tax avoidance scheme contact HMRC as soon as possible. There is more information about how to do … Continue reading More names added to the tax avoidance list!
As part of the July 2024 Employer Bulletin, HMRC are highlighting their spotlight 64 information on rogue umbrella organisations and the difficulties agencies and their workers may get into. HMRC is aware that some umbrella companies who are using employment and recruitment agencies to promote tax avoidance. Warning for employment agencies using umbrella companies (Spotlight … Continue reading Warning for employment agencies using umbrella companies – Spotlight 64
HMRC have reminded employers as part of the July 2024 employer bulletin, the Real Time Information (RTI) setting required and some of the practical operation requirements as they relate to off-payroll workers. PAYadvice resources on IR35 can be found at: PAYadvice resources - Off-Payroll workers – IR35 – Deemed Employees Operating payroll: Real Time Information … Continue reading RTI and off-payroll working (IR35) reminder
HMRC have issued the July 2024 edition of the Employer Bulletin which brings the latest HMRC updates and guidance to support employers, payroll professionals and agents.the next edition will be published in August 2024. In this edition of the Employer Bulletin there are important updates and information on: PAYE tax calculation repayments PAYE Settlement Agreement calculations 2023 … Continue reading July 2024 Employer bulletin
The HMRC have added a further 3 umbrella organisations that have been found to promoting tax avoidance schemes which HMRC claim do not work. An umbrella company is a business often used by recruitment agencies to pay temporary workers. The common theme of these failed arrangements is a payment close to National Minimum Wage levels … Continue reading More umbrellas named!
Accent Umbrella Ltd (AUL) has been named by HMRC as a promoter of tax avoidance schemes. Please be cautious following advice from these entities about joining other umbrella companies. We advise users of this scheme to contact us to get help to exitHMRC Accent Umbrella advertised itself as ‘the perfect compliment to your work life. … Continue reading With Accent Umbrella? Get out!