UK Payroll

Umbrella payroll for contractors

One compliant employer across every assignment. PAYE, National Insurance and statutory pay handled each period, with clear payslips.

Advisory

Contracting across assignments should not mean starting again each time. Different agencies, different clients, gaps in employment and questions over IR35 all add friction. Umbrella employment removes it. One employer stays in place across every assignment, with PAYE, National Insurance and statutory pay handled the same way each period, and a clear payslip every time.

Understanding the Model

How umbrella employment works

An umbrella company directly employs contractors, runs their payroll, bills the agency or client for completed work, and handles all PAYE, National Insurance and statutory deductions. For the contractor, it means one continuous, compliant employer across multiple assignments.

You take on assignments through agencies or clients as usual. The umbrella sits behind them as your employer. It invoices for the work you complete, receives the funds, processes your pay through PAYE, and pays you with a clear, itemised payslip. Your employment continues even as the assignments change.

Here is what you get with RPS Contracts umbrella payroll:

  • One continuous employer - stay employed across assignments, with no gaps to manage.
  • PAYE and NI done right - tax and National Insurance handled correctly every pay period.
  • Statutory entitlements included - holiday pay, sick pay and a workplace pension come as standard.
  • Clear payslips - every payment itemised, every time.
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What you get

One employer

Continuous, compliant employment across every assignment you take on.

PAYE and NI handled

Income Tax and National Insurance deducted correctly every pay period.

Clear payslips

Every payment itemised, so you can always see what you have been paid and why.

Who It Is For

Built for contractors and agencies

Contractors working through agencies, especially under IR35 and off-payroll rules, and agencies that need a compliant employment route for temporary workers.

Contractors

Professionals working assignment to assignment who want one compliant employer and clear payslips throughout.

Inside-IR35 workers

Contractors caught by IR35 and off-payroll rules who need a compliant PAYE employment route.

Recruitment agencies

Agencies that need a compliant employment route for their temporary and contract workers.

What You Get

Compliant pay, every assignment

Everything umbrella employment should include, done properly.

One continuous employer

Stay employed across assignments, with no gaps to manage between contracts.

PAYE and NI done right

Income Tax and National Insurance handled correctly every pay period, no guesswork.

Statutory entitlements included

Holiday pay, sick pay and a workplace pension come as standard with your employment.

Clear payslips

Every payment itemised, every time, so you can see exactly what you have been paid.

IR35 made simple

A compliant route for contractors inside IR35 and under off-payroll rules, with the status question resolved.

Support on hand

A named contact for any question about your pay, tax code or deductions, not a ticket queue.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to the most common questions about umbrella payroll.

An umbrella company directly employs contractors, runs their payroll, bills the agency or client for completed work, and handles all PAYE, National Insurance and statutory deductions. For the contractor, it means one continuous, compliant employer across multiple assignments.

As an employee of the umbrella, your pay has Income Tax and employee National Insurance deducted under PAYE, along with any pension contribution. Every payment is itemised on a clear payslip, so you can see exactly what has been deducted and why.

Yes. Because you are employed by the umbrella, statutory entitlements come as standard. That includes holiday pay, statutory sick pay where eligible, and a workplace pension through auto-enrolment.

Umbrella employment is a common, compliant route for contractors working inside IR35 and under off-payroll rules. Because the umbrella employs you under PAYE, the status question is resolved through compliant employment rather than left open.

Get Started

Get paid compliantly, every assignment

We will set you up with one compliant employer across every assignment. No pressure, no jargon. Book a call and we will take it from there.

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