Umbrella companies can make it more easy to handle your tax for a number of your contracts. When you use an umbrella company,you’re compensated via the PAYE system,like employees are. But how does this work,and how do the companies tax you? Here’s an explanation of how you are taxed by umbrella companies and what that means for you.
Tax Through PAYE
PAYE stands for pay as you earn,if you are not already aware. So once you use an umbrella company,you pay your tax as you earn instead of paying your tax in a lump sum following the tax season is finished. Throughout the system,you may pay your income tax and National Insurance contributions,assuming that you are earning enough. You will have a tax code that indicates to HMRC how much tax you should be paying. The thresholds for paying your taxes and thetax bands can change each year,so it’s always important to stay current.
Currently (2018),you’ll pay National Insurance contributions at 12% on earnings above #162 a week and 2 percent above #892 a week. The personal allowance for income tax is #11,850 with 20% paid on everything after up to #34,500,and 40 percent from #34,500 to #150,000.
Umbrella Company Expenses
Another aspect to consider is that you can claim some expenses. Chargeable expenses are those reimbursed recruitment agency or by your client. Other costs are non-chargeable,and the umbrella company will handle them when calculating your pay. Allowable expenses will be deducted from your income so thatyou don’t have to pay tax on them. If your contract with your client is deemed to be under the Supervision,Management and Control of your client,you can’t claim travel and subsistence expenses.
Calculating Your Pay
Your pay will be calculated once you have submitted timesheets into the umbrella company and recruitment agency or end client. As well as your taxes,the umbrella company will even minus your fee to the company and any other deductions,such as pension contributions and holiday pay.
Payslips
Your umbrella company should send you a payslip,which details any deductions,such as taxes. At the end of the tax season,they should also give you a P60 for your records too.
What About Umbrella Companies That Pay?
Some umbrella companies will tell you that you can keep the majority of your pay (up to 95 percent) and stillbe tax-compliant. Official advice from HMRC claims that this is a warning sign for non-compliant businesses. You should also look out for only a portion of your income going being compensated using a loan,credit or investment that the company says isn’t subject to tax,and your obligations being routed through other businesses. These could all be signs that the company isn’t paying your taxes so it’s important to watch out for them.
Umbrella businesses deal with your tax for you so thatyou don’t need to. You might pay a little more tax,but you get the benefits of becoming an employee.