Over nearly three decades specialising exclusively in recruitment law and contracts, I have seen almost every way an agency can lose a fee. What I have not seen – until recently – is the speed with which some businesses are now willing to put their entire commercial protection into the hands of an algorithm. I […]
On top of all the consultations issued this year, the government has now published a consultation on employment status reform. Since employment status is at the heart of recruitment supply the big question is, could it impact agencies. For most recruitment businesses the short answer is probably not: PAYE agency workers already have worker status […]
From 1 October 2026, agencies who have not checked that an agency worker has the right to work in the UK could be liable for significant penalties. The new law applies to most supply arrangements including agency workers, umbrella company staff, subcontractors, personal service companies (‘PSCs’) and platform-engaged workers. Read more… What recruitment businesses that […]
The umbrella liability law: what’s changing? The government has released draft legislation that will introduce joint and several (J&S) liability for PAYE tax and, soon, NICs where a qualifying umbrella company is involved in the recruitment supply chain. From 6th April 2026, if your agency works with an umbrella company that fails to account for […]
Agencies may no longer be required to run PAYE, but they could still be on the hook for unpaid tax. The recruitment rumourmill reports that HMRC appears to be shifting its stance on the tax treatment of contractors employed via umbrella companies, despite new legislation expected to be published in July. Instead of treating recruitment […]
The Employment Rights Bill will soon pass into law, soon followed by regulation of the umbrella sector, impacting the current umbrella model as we know it.
The government has now published its plans for applying proposed zero hours rules to agency workers.
The proposal for unfair dismissal claims to be a day 1 right has worried many businesses. However, this could be a positive change for the recruitment sector.
Disputes can, and do, arise. What are the common reasons fees are lost and how can you protect your business?
Engaging with umbrellas can present some risk. We look at some of the common mistakes we come across that may expose a recruitment business to risks.
