Crystal Umbrella

The majority of people seem to think our industry is, in some strange way, akin to black magic, operating a dubious and secretive method of tax avoidance. However, nothing could be further from the truth! We are actually quite dull and dare we say, boring. Being perceived as somewhat cavalier and operating on the periphery of legality sounds much more colourful.

Crystal Umbrella is an Employment Management Company set up for the sole purpose of employing temporary workers; Contractors, Freelancers, Locums, Temps and Interims for example and making their contracting life more rewarding, hassle free, profitable and most of all legally compliant.

Most contractors believe they are self-employed, due to the fact that they call themselves “Contractors” and not permanent staff, which is another myth. The majority of contractors, some 85% of all fixed term contract workers, are actually “Deemed Employed”, in the eyes of HMRC and as they are Her Majesty’s tax collectors, we are not going to argue with them on that point.

The simple fact is, a contractor’s true working status is based on two finite points; what the terms of their contracts state and their actual working practices when working, (which now overrules the written contract). Whether a contractor is deemed to be self-employed is completely determined by these two points and cannot be decided by the contractor.

So, you may well be asking yourself, what will Crystal actually do to assist me and make my life easier? The simple answer is, we can help the 85% of contract workers who are deemed employed make the most out of their earnings, by processing business expenses compliantly.

We’ll advise you on what business expenses you can legitimately claim. Put simply, this means you will typically take home a higher percentage of what you earn compared to being in permanent employment or by being paid through a basic PAYE arrangement with your employment agency.

That’s just the beginning though, because we also provide comprehensive assistance and support in the following areas:

• 1st class customer support
• Contractual compliance & administration
• Pre-appointment screening service (PASS)
• Professional insurance
• Expense processing
• Tax advice, planning and returns
• Financial protection and investment advice
• Health & well-being

As the UK’s leading Umbrella Company, we are recognised for our unsurpassed quality of service and professional advice, which is why we are proud to have helped over 15,000 contractors to maximise their income and remain on the right side of HMRC.

Crystal Umbrella is also an Association of Employment Management Companies (AEMC) certified Umbrella Company, which means we have chosen to follow and maintain a set of comprehensive standards that we constantly strive to improve.

To find out more

Simply give our experienced New Business Team a call today on 0800 848 8888, chat to us online or feel free to submit your query using our quick online form

Ready to join?

Call us on 0800 848 8888, download an application form or open an account online