By Jane Stevens

Following on from my last Blog article relating to AWR (Agency Workers Regulations), I have continued to follow developments closely through market commentators, umbrella companies, the BIS and employment law experts.

To re-cap, for those who are not completely aware of the build-up regarding this legislation, The Agency Workers Directive was passed into European Law in 2008. At this point the UK then had to adopt a version of this (the UK version being called Agency Workers Regulations  - AWR) -  in fact all EU Countries will have to  implement their version of this legislation by December 2011. AWR comes into effect in this country on 1 October 2011.

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 Umbrella company contractors could be in line for further flak from the taxman if they find themselves in the ‘crossfire’ between their umbrellas and the taxman. Contractors are even being encouraged to ‘shop’ their umbrella companies over things like being too free and easy with their expenses dispensations.

HMRC has just released a briefing – Revenue & Customs Brief 50/09 – in which it unambiguously announces its intention to step up investigations of what it perceives as abuses of expenses and dispensation rules by umbrella companies. (more…)

Indications are that limited company contractors will be excluded from the Agency Workers Directive, whereas umbrella company contractors will be covered by the directive. This information is based on the final consultation meeting at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) in London yesterday, to which ContractorCalculator’s CEO, Dave Chaplin, was invited. (more…)