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In any profession, it’s important to build a positive reputation for yourself. This is especially true as a contractor in order to make sure that you can maintain a steady flow of work that employers are pleased with. To keep the jobs coming, you’ll need to create trust with your clients, and here we share our five top tips for building trust as a contractor.

1. Be professional. It’s important to make sure that the first impression potential employers have of you is very good, especially as a contractor. Make sure that you’re well prepared, dressed appropriately and have all the necessary tools you might need. Be vigilant in checking everything, because even the smallest of things, like your email address, could put off an employer if it appears to be unprofessional.
2. Under promise, over deliver. To set yourself up for success with your clients, always offer a deadline which is slightly longer than the time you will need to complete a project. This means that, come the finishing of the project, you can either deliver early and delight your client with your speed, or if you need those extra days, then you have a bit of leigh weigh.
3. Communication. Meeting or exceeding your client’s expectations is essential in keeping contracts and securing future jobs, and the key to this is communication. Always provide effective, clear communication with your clients, from your expectations, to deadlines, to requirements and updates. This also helps cover you for any misunderstandings with your clients, as if you have everything clearly in writing or via email.
4. Be reliable. Never be late, always complete the work that was agreed, within the agreed timeframe. This will help build your reputation and land you the jobs you want.
5. Be intentional. Clients are much more likely to choose you multiple times if they see that you are interested and invested in creating a long-term business relationship. If you show that you want to get to know them and their business needs, they will remember their positive experience with you if/when they have a new job to offer.

Need more information? At Red Ark, our team is ready, available and happy to help talk you through the ideal options for your business and putting a plan in place for your payroll needs.
Get in touch today with our friendly, knowledgeable team to discuss what we can do for you.

Often, payslips are forgotten about and too quickly thrown away. It’s easy to simply glance at what you’ve earned over the last month or so, check your bank account to be sure the money has been paid, and never think of the slips again. But it’s vital that you should hang on to all of them. Why? In this blog we discuss the reasons why it is important to hold on to payslips.

Proof of Income

If you are planning on buying a house, or indeed even renting, you’ll need to provide payslips likely from the last three months to prove you can afford your mortgage rate or rent costs.

Payslips are also helpful when it comes to retirement as you’ll be able to see exactly what you should be receiving based on your pension contributions throughout the years.

If you are pregnant and preparing for maternity leave, your payslips will help you understand your maternity leave entitlement as well.
Proof of income is also essential when it comes to applying for any kind of visa to work in a different country.

Be In The Know

Keeping a hold of your payslips helps you to understand your pay which is vital if you are working under an umbrella company or if you are a permanent employee.

You payslips should lay out all your payments, including pension contributions, holiday pay, student loans, etc. making it easy for you to be in control of your money.

Accuracy

Having your payslips all to hand will help you to compile an accurate self-assessment tax return. You will be able to provide any necessary proof of pay/deductions if HMRC is ever to request one.

How Long Should I Keep My Payslips?

HMRC recommends keeping your payslips for 22 months, however we recommend filing your payslips and keeping them for as long as you can. This means that you can always refer back to your pay at any time should you need.

The Red Ark team are here to help you think through the best options for your business and put a plan to put in place for your business payroll needs.

Contact our friendly, knowledgeable staff today to discuss what we can do for you.

Since the pandemic hit in early March, the contracting industry saw a huge shift in its working patterns. While many sites and services were forced to minimize their work and staff, some had to completely shut down to avoid the spread of COVID-19.

As we all get used to ‘the new normal’, the contracting industry has also seen changes in the distribution of workers across industries. The REC reported an increase of job postings for the manufacturing sector in the UK, with almost a 6% increase in job postings for assembly line operatives. The demand for blue collar workers overall continues to increase, and as lockdown measures continue to ease in parts of the country it is expected that all sectors will continue to grow.

Many temporary workers are moving across industries as the demand for workers shifts, with many roles for key workers continuing to appear as a result of the pandemic.

What do I need to know?

If you are changing industry you may be able to keep the same payroll company. We understand that this is a tough and confusing time, so we are here to help. We serve the construction, manufacturing, logistics, and security sectors and therefore may be able to help you when changing roles.

Are temporary workers right for my job?

If you’re an agency, considering expanding into other industries or markets it can sometimes be confusing or tricky. That’s why the Red Ark team are here to help you think through the best options for your business and put a plan to put in place that suits your business needs.

Contact our friendly, knowledgeable staff today to discuss what we can do for you.

Legislation surrounding payroll tax can be complicated as legislation is ever-evolving. It’s important to make sure that you are working in line with the relevant parameters outlined by HMRC, as new changes are due to come into play on April 6th 2021. Here we break down what IR35 is, what it means for you as an agency or a contractor and why it’s so important ahead of the April 2021 changes.

What is IR35?

IR35 is legislation relevant to limited company contractors. It’s important to make sure that if you are working ‘inside the scope of IR35’ you are paying an employed level of tax and NI (national insurance), as you would if you were an employee of a client.
It possible to work ‘outside’ the scope of IR35 if you are a limited company contractor genuinely working on your own, i.e. using a contract to provide services, not “employed” by a client. If you work outside the scope of IR35, then you may enjoy better tax efficiency and the benefit of being able to pay yourself a combination of dividends as well as salary.

Why is it so important?

It is imperative to work completely within the remit of tax rules and legislation, so contractors must take the time and effort to ensure that they are, as it is their responsibility as a contractor. Even for the most diligent of contractors, understanding whether you should be working inside or outside the scope of IR35 can be confusing. However, as of 6th of April 2021, the responsibility for determining contractors status will fall with the client and not the contractor, meaning agencies will be responsible for determining the tax status of contractors, whether they are inside our outside of IR35. That’s where we can help. Our team of IR35 professionals will review your specific case and help you determine how you should be operating, what forms to fill out, and how to ensure you’re working legitimately.

What is changing?

As of April 2021, the responsibility for determining workers’ employment status will fall with the client (i.e. agency) rather than the worker themselves. This legislation change applies to all large, medium or private sector companies and agencies, and is called ‘off-payroll working’. It is important to note, however, that IR35 status tests will remain the same.

What does it mean for contractors?

As a contractor, you will no longer be your responsibility for determining your status of employment i.e. whether you’re an employee or can be paid via your limited company as a contractor.

This means that if a contractor is registered as self-employed but is found to be working as an employee, the end client will be responsible for paying any additional tax due. While the contractor holds no liability for their employment status, they may still experience a deduction in earnings as they will have to be placed on the payroll of the company.

However, the new reform is not retrospective and will not look to target previous years’ tax payments for those whose status will change in and outside of IR35. If your contract falls inside of IR35 you may have to move to an umbrella company.

What does it mean for agencies?

From April 2021, agencies will be responsible for determining the employment status of their workers and whether they fall inside or outside of IR35. It may also be the agency’s responsibility to ensure that the correct income tax and National Insurance are deductions are made if the contractor falls inside of IR35.

If you need guidance in determining your contractor’s status or help to move your contractors to umbrella payments, get in contact with our friendly professional team to find out what we can do for you.

At Red Ark, we also offer training to agencies and their teams to ensure they’re ready for the new IR35 legislation and the changes that will bring.

What can I do now?

Make sure you are keeping up to date with any changes in legislation and tax law by working with trusted and professional payroll services who make it their job to ensure you are always working legitimately and conducting payroll services appropriately.
Ensure your team are ready for IR35 changes through training with our experts.

Contact our friendly, knowledgeable staff today to discuss your IR35 needs.