SmartWork

08/10/2026

Umbrella company regulation is coming in 2027.

The final legislation has not been published yet, but the direction is clear:

- mandatory accreditation or registration,
- enhanced due diligence for agencies,
- and greater HMRC enforcement.

Agencies that wait until the legislation is finalised will face a compressed timeline.

The due diligence processes that regulation will require take time to build. We have put together a practical guide for agencies on what the 2027 framework is expected to cover and the steps worth taking now.

Full article and agency guide in the comments 👇

06/10/2026

Three duties landed on the temporary-labour supply chain this year, and they all point the same way.

1. Joint and several liability for umbrella PAYE and NICs came in on 6th April 2026.

2. The Fair Work Agency now enforces minimum wage, sick pay and holiday pay under one body.

3. And since 1st October, right-to-work checks reach across agencies, umbrellas and end clients, with penalties of up to £60,000 per worker.

The common thread is accountability. A compliance failure somewhere in the chain no longer stays there. Buyers of labour can be held to answer for it.

We hold FCSA Membership because our business is assessed independently against the FCSA Codes, not self-declared. For the agencies and clients we work with, that is one practical way to take risk out of the chain rather than hope it away.

See what FCSA Membership means for the partners you choose upstream.

👉 https://www.fcsa.org.uk/

05/10/2026

If you are starting a new contract this October, one of the most valuable protections available to you is continuity of employment.

Working through SmartWork means you stay employed under a single overarching contract across every assignment.

That continuity affects your mortgage applications, your statutory rights, and your protection if an assignment ends unexpectedly.

With the Employment Rights Act 2025 now in force, those protections are stronger than ever:

- Unfair dismissal protection after six months (down from two years)
- Fully itemised payslips with complete fee transparency
- Stronger redundancy and parental safeguards
- A new enforcement route through the Fair Work Agency

October is one of the busiest months for new contractor assignments. Make sure you are starting on the right footing.

Our guide covers everything from AWR rights and consistent tax codes to what the April 2026 PAYE supply chain rules mean for you in practice.

Link in the comments.👇

01/10/2026

HMRC has issued warnings about fraudulent payslips in the umbrella sector.

Non-compliant schemes are targeting contractors by misrepresenting deductions, inflating take-home pay, or disguising tax avoidance arrangements.

Contractors caught up in these schemes can face unexpected tax bills and HMRC investigations.

We have put together a guide on what to look for and what a compliant payslip should include.

Link in the comments 👇

30/09/2026

September ends today. If you know a contractor looking for a compliant, transparent umbrella company, now is a great time to refer them.

When they join SmartWork and complete four weeks, you choose your reward: a £100 voucher from Voucher Express or one month without SmartWork margin.

No limits on referrals.

The form is on our website. 👉 https://www.smartwork.com/referrals/

29/09/2026

September has been a significant month for contractors and agencies.

Here is a brief summary of the key developments heading into October.

1. Right to Work expansion takes effect on 1 October.

The Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Act 2025 extends Right to Work liability up the supply chain. Agencies and umbrella companies can now face civil penalties of up to £60,000 per worker if they fail to meet prescribed compliance requirements.

Digital verification via DVSP providers is now mandatory for many checks. If you have not reviewed your Right to Work processes, speak to your agency business manager.

2. Mid-tax-year checkpoint.

We are now halfway through the 2026/27 tax year. September was the time to review your tax code, check pension contributions, verify the new 55p mileage rate is being applied, and assess holiday pay accrual.

If you have not completed a mid-year financial check, your SmartWork business manager can walk you through your payslip.

3. HMRC holiday pay consultation closed on 22 September.

HMRC reviewed holiday pay compliance and enforcement across the umbrella sector. The Fair Work Agency will begin enforcement from 2027, with penalties up to 200% of arrears for non-compliance.

Compliant holiday pay should be clearly itemised on every payslip, calculated at 12.07% of gross pay, and never withheld or rolled into your hourly rate.

4. Umbrella company selection criteria.

With September's "back to work" season, many contractors reviewed their umbrella providers. The five key criteria are: FCSA accreditation, SafeRec certification, transparent payslips, a designated business manager, and fast, reliable payments.

SmartWork meets all five. If you are reviewing your current provider, we are here to help.

For detailed info on any of the above, head to our blog. Link in the comments. 👇

Follow us for monthly updates, and if you have questions about any of these developments, your business manager is here to help.

24/09/2026

Your umbrella partner directly affects contractor satisfaction and retention.

In a recovering IT market (July 2026 saw the best demand in nearly 3 years), the umbrella company you recommend to contractors matters more than many agencies realise.

Neil Kane, our Sales & Operations Manager, explores areas where the right partnership supports your agency's reputation.

He covers payments, payslips, business managers, credentials, and the referral effect.

Read Neil's article: https://www.smartwork.com/latest-news/umbrella-partner-contractor-retention-satisfaction/

Neil Kane explains how your umbrella partner affects contractor satisfaction, agency reputation, and retention through payments, transparency, and personal service.

22/09/2026

September is the halfway point of the 2026/27 tax year.

If you haven't reviewed your pension contributions since April, now is a good time.

Salary sacrifice through your umbrella company saves on both Income Tax and National Insurance, and the annual pension allowance for 2026/27 is £60,000.

SmartWork offers both workplace and private pension options. Our partners at Interactive Investor can also help you plan beyond the workplace pension, whether that's a SIPP, ISA, or investment account.

Speak to your SmartWork business manager today, or visit Interactive Investor to explore your options.

👉 https://www.ii.co.uk/ii-partners/smartwork-umbrella

17/09/2026

Good news for our agency partners: you can share audit results for your workers with authorised MSPs and end clients.

That means your clients can see:

✅ Which workers are being paid through our payroll
✅ That their payslips are being audited in real time
✅ The results for each worker and pay run
✅ That payroll data has been cross-referenced against RTI submissions

It is a simple way to bring greater transparency into client reviews, tenders and ongoing compliance conversations.

We love that being SafeRec Certified allows us to support not only our agency partners, but the businesses they supply as well.

If you work with us, ask our team how to access and share your workers’ audit results through SafeRec. 🔎

📞 0800 434 6446
📧 [email protected]

16/09/2026

Your payslips, documents, and account details. All in one place.

SmartWork's online portal gives you full visibility of your pay whenever you need it.

Check your payslip, download documents, and review your account on any device, anytime.

Simple.
Transparent.
Always accessible.

And if you ever have a question, your designated business manager is still just a call or email away.

The portal doesn't replace the personal service; it adds to it.

Get in touch to find out more:

📧[email protected]
📞0800 434 6446
🌐www.smartwork.com