Professional Passport thinks it is timely to review the relevance of the legislation in light of many changes that have been introduced since its introduction and is calling for the Government to consider whether it is time to ditch it.

Professional Passport has been at the forefront of the drive for compliance across the umbrella sector for over 17 years.  We are proud of our record with no agency or end client suffering any loss through debt transfer action.

Addressing Non-Compliance in the Supply Chain: Improving Today's Workplace.

Significant changes to holiday pay calculations and rules came into effect on April 1st 2024, majorly impacting umbrella company workers across the UK.

Warning for employment agencies using umbrella companies

New guidance for employment businesses who use umbrella companies to employ workers

Guidance for umbrella company workers is intended to help workers understand when they are employed by an umbrella company.

With a rise in tax avoidance and disguised remuneration schemes, contractors need to be on their guard and be aware and wary of any provider offering them 2 payments for each pay run.

Professional Passport calls for working group to be set up to steer policy on umbrellas

In their latest article, our cybersecurity partner Mitigo delve into the evolving methods of extortion.

HMRC has issued updated guidance for contractors who work through an umbrella company.

Key information document: guidance for agency workers paid through umbrella companies

Can umbrella companies and recruiters protect themselves from cyber-attacks?

Warning for agency workers and contractors employed by umbrella companies

HMRC Spotlight 59 - Growth Share Schemes

HMRC reviewed a number of contracts for difference and Growth Securities Ownership Plan schemes. HMRC’s firm view is that the schemes do not work.

Following the recent Pimilico plumber ruling Professional Passport confirms its standards on Holiday Pay.

It is more important than ever that agencies put robust ongoing checks in place so that they know they continue to work with compliant providers.

HMRC's Tax avoidance - 'don’t get caught out' campaign helps contractors who are self-employed or employed through an agency understand their pay arrangements so they don’t get an unexpected tax bill.

HMRC is actively issuing tax avoidance warning letters to workers- so what does this mean?

Crawford Temple has spoken to IWORK about holiday pay and ensuring compliance and transparency.

Professional Passport has developed an API tool to enable agency members to check company credentials against its approved providers list. 

Employment Agency Standards recently ran a webinar on Key Information Documents and the requirements from an umbrella company perspective.

Some nurses could currently be in ‘disguised employment’, rather than self-employed, and would therefore not be covered under the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) indemnity scheme.

What working through an umbrella company means for contractors’ mortgage plans.

Addressing the Issues of Non-compliance in the Umbrella and Payment Intermediaries Sector

The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group of The Chartered Institute of Taxation and PRISM have updated the umbrella factsheet.

HMRC’s has issued updated guidance and information on Mini Umbrellas following BBC revelations.

Some providers will make false claims of Professional Passport approval. Always check our Approved Provider listings for the definitive list.

HMRC issues guidance to contractors on umbrella arrangements. This is an important first step but more needs to follow.

With the Off-Payroll rules now effective we examine other key considerations that recruiters must look at to achieve a robust compliance position.

Crawford Temple of Professional Passport outlines what a compliant umbrella firm should be providing.

Contractors need to be alert to the fact that nowadays it is more about ‘when you get caught’ rather than ‘if you get caught’.

In this article Crawford Temple outlines what an umbrella company is and how the umbrella model works.  

Crawford Temple Founder of Professional Passport looks at the Recruiters making KID mistakes.

No. 9 The Compliance Files - Professional Employment Organisations

Tax avoidance is when people bend the rules of the tax system to pay less than they owe. It also means that the vital public services we all use like hospitals and schools, don’t get the money they need.

No. 8 The Compliance Files - Understanding your payslip.

No. 7 The Compliance Files - Have I got a good idea for you!

No. 6 The Compliance Files - Disguised Remuneration.

No. 5 The Compliance Files - What Expenses Can You Claim?

No. 4 The Compliance Files - COVID-19 Fallout for Contractors.

No.3 The Compliance Files - Umbrella Companies and Payroll

No 2: The Compliance files - Holiday pay when using an umbrella company.

Crawford Temple, CEO and founder of Professional Passport shares four key areas accountants overlook when opening an umbrella firm.

In this first in a series of discussions Crawford Temple from Professional Passport and Dave Chaplin from IR35 Shield explain what an umbrella company is.

With the new rules coming into effect in April 2021 leading industry experts discuss key steps to consider in preparing.

With market pressures mounting following CJRS, and a drive for new business as we move towards April 2021, some providers are being lured to the dark side.

All umbrella companies should return similar take home pay as they should all follow the same tax rules. Contractors still seem to be chasing the high returns with the false assurances of compliance.

We look at the learning and possible changes following the issues faced by the sector as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak.

Read the latest guidance we have from HMRC on the application of the scheme where a worker is employed by an umbrella company.

Umbrella holiday pay has become a major focus in recent times so we clarify our position on this key area.

With many workers moving from their own limited companies to umbrella providers as a result of Off-Payroll reforms we look at the importance of clarity around the rate.

With the new reforms set for April 2021 we can help if you are still trying to understand and assess your contractors. Our step by step guide is a must.

Comparison and broker websites marketing umbrella companies are not always what they seem.

Find out what you should consider before using an umbrella company to make sure it complies with the tax rules.

PRISM and The Low Incomes Tax Reform Group have put together guidance for contractors looking to use umbrella companies.

Employers must ensure their status determinations meet the requirement for reasonable care.

We look at the ongoing issue of tax avoidance being marketed to contractors with the promise of high returns and low risk.

Tax avoidance schemes aimed at contractors and agency workers.

Find out how to identify schemes that wrongly claim to increase your take-home pay if you are a contractor or agency.

Professional Passport is the only compliance accreditation that provides this insurance backed guarantee.

This is an area that is causing confusion following all the changes in 2016. Just because an agency allows expenses to be recharged it does not follow that these can be paid to a worker tax free.

Have you, or any of your workers, been affected by The Loan Charge?

Make sure you keep upto date with our Approved Providers and ensure claims of compliance accreditation are genuine.

The whole area of contractor claimed direct expenses has changed beyond recognition following a series of changes across recent years.

HMRC reconfirms our understanding.

Key Information Document- do not miss this requirement that comes in April 2020.

Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate Focus on The Conduct Regulations.

Following the introduction of The Criminal Finances Act we have been working with many recruitment companies helping them develop their defence strategies.

We are hearing of umbrella providers that are looking to offer a service where they would subcontract services to a contractor’s limited company where there has been an inside IR35 assessment.

Remuneration trust: tax avoidance using loans or fiduciary receipts

Information about a tax avoidance scheme that tries to disguise income and other taxable profits as loans or fiduciary receipts by using a remuneration trust.

Disguised remuneration: schemes claiming to avoid the loan charge

HMRC is aware of schemes and arrangements that claim to avoid the 2019 loan charge on disguised remuneration. It's HMRC's view that these schemes do not work.

Rewarding employees and contractors using contrived loan arrangements (Spotlight 46)

Find out about the General Anti-Abuse Rule (GAAR) Advisory Panel opinions on arrangements that rewarded employees and contractors with contrived loans.

Following recent cases we look at the area of matching holiday pay for AWR.

Following the introduction of the Criminal Finances Act more recruitment companies are now operating preferred supplier listings supported by accredited providers.

We are still seeing an increase in the number of offshore umbrella providers operating in the market and advise extreme caution to any organisation considering one of these providers.

Umbrella companies offering to increase your take home pay.

Find out what to do if an agency or umbrella company offers to reduce your tax liability and increase your take home pay.

Disguised remuneration: schemes affected by the loan charge

Information about the loan charge on disguised remuneration schemes which came into force on 5 April 2019.

Disguised remuneration: schemes claiming to avoid the new loan charge

HMRC is aware of schemes that claim to avoid the loan charge on disguised remuneration. These schemes don’t work.

Disguised remuneration: a Supreme Court decision

On 5 July 2017 The Supreme Court released their unanimous decision about disguised remuneration tax avoidance schemes used by Rangers Football Club.

Disguised remuneration: re-describing loans

HMRC is aware of schemes that claim to avoid the 2019 loan charge on disguised remuneration. These schemes don’t work.

Disguised remuneration: job board avoidance scheme

HM Revenue and Customs is aware of a scheme that claims to avoid tax by using job boards and loyalty points paid by a third party.

Disguised remuneration: tax avoidance using annuities

Schemes that use annuities to avoid Income Tax and National Insurance contributions don’t work. HMRC will investigate anyone who uses one.

Tax avoidance: an introduction

What tax avoidance is, what can happen to you if you enter into a tax avoidance scheme and how to get help to settle your tax affairs.