New Tax Year Resolutions
The start of a new year often marks the beginning of new habits and activities, and the same is true for every business and organisation when a new tax year gets underway. As the 2025/26 tax year starts, here are some simple steps to help freshen-up your payroll by exploring the benefits of outsourcing, to […]
Professional Passport: What is it and why does it matter?
The UK’s umbrella payroll sector doesn’t enjoy the best reputation when it comes to compliance, not helped by the ongoing existence of Mini Umbrella and unethical companies. However, Magic Umbrella offers guaranteed smart, compliant umbrella PAYE Payroll for recruiter’s temporary workforce, proven by its status as an accredited Approved Partner of Professional Passport. We lift the bonnet […]
Government launches consultation to close in on promoted tax avoidance
HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) has launched a consultation titled ‘Closing in on Promoter of Marketed Tax Avoidance’. The consultation’s key objective is to gather public feedback on proposed measures to strengthen HMRC’s ability to combat promoters and enablers or tax avoidance schemes. The government aims to make a significant impact on reducing the tax […]
Government publishes umbrella consultation findings and outcomes
The findings of the government consultation into tackling non-compliance in the umbrella company market and the most effective way to address issues of tax and employment rights non-compliance by umbrella companies have been published. What do these tell us, and how does the government plan to act in response? On 4 March 2025, the government […]
Hero for Zero: What are the Government’s plans to reform zero hour contracts?
The Employment Rights Bill was announced by the government on the 10 October 2024. It set out a large number of employment reforms that the new Labour government intends to introduce, including bans for exploitative contracts and notice periods for cancelled shifts, as we explain here. Proposed changes to zero hour contracts The proposed changes form […]
Pay calculator for umbrella workers launched
The UK government has launched a new beta tool aimed at helping umbrella workers and recruitment businesses to estimate gross and net pay and more clearly explain deductions. The launch comes in response to growing concerns over tax compliance and transparency in the umbrella sector, highlighted by the Chancellor and Labour government in its first […]
At-a-glance: Budget 2024
A round-up of the changes announced in the Budget 2024 that affect payroll, pay and tax. Umbrella companies In her Budget 2024 speech, the Chancellor said: “We will clamp down on those umbrella companies who exploit workers, increase the interest rate on unpaid tax debt to ensure that people pay on time, and go after […]