Umbrella companies

[Browser]

I've been fortnate to land myself a job nearer home than I thought I'd be working, but it's initially a 12-month contract so I'll be working for an agency. They've told me to sort out an umbrella company who will do all of my PAYE stuff, but having no experience of this way of working at all I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations for who to use?
A colleague at my soon-to-be-former workplace has used Gabem and says they are good, the guy at the agency suggested either Goumbrella or Tarpon. THey all look much of a muchness and I'm leaning towards Gabem as they come recommended by a guy I'd trust, does anyone have any opinions of any of these companies or any different suggestions please?

 

[Night Train]

Read their small print carefully. Some of them have contradictory T&C to the company you think you are working for. Some make a claim in their T&Cs that sound suspiciously like you are working for them and so any creative productivity belongs to them and not you or the company you think you are working for.
Some seem to suggest that any contractual concerns are to be resolved through them.

I set up as a limited company to handle my own payroll obligations to avoid such issues.

One I have been told to avoid like the plague, by both fellow contractors and clients (employers), is Giant.

 

[Night Train]

Here's another suggestion.

You could post the same question in Shaun's Business forum. Click the button at the very top of the page, you should already be a member there and be logged on automatically.

 

[yello]

I think you're right in that they are pretty much of a muchness but obviously it makes sense to read through their T&Cs - particularly how they make payments and expect time sheets/invoices etc.

It's been a few years now but I used Contract Umbrella without any hitch or problem.

 

[Browser]

Here's another suggestion.

You could post the same question in Shaun's Business forum. Click the button at the very top of the page, you should already be a member there and be logged on automatically.

Do you have a link to this forum handy please?

 

[Paulus]

Hi there Browser, it is at the top of this CycleChat page, above the main Cyclechat logo.

 

[Browser]

Ahhhhh, hiding in plain sight eh, sneaky!

 

[Archie_tect]

Have a loom at the website for Hazel Carr who are in control of a lot of the PPI compensation contractors working through their umbrella companies on behalf of the big banks.

 

[Norm]

I've used Parasol in the past, they worked OK for me.

http://www.parasolgroup.co.uk