You may have come across some dedicated comparison sites which specifically rate the hundreds of umbrella companies out there. One of the most reliable comparison sites is umbrelladetective.com; not only do they allow contractors to quickly identify the most reputable umbrella firms, but they also provide a great jobs board and access to the latest industry news.

There are a number of things to consider if you want to choose the best umbrella company have outlined the main elements below;

1) How often do they run payroll? – Its best to go with a company that runs their payroll every day. This means that as soon as they receive your money from your agency/client they will process it on the same day. Watch out for umbrella companies that only run payroll on a certain day as this could leave you waiting for your payment.

2) Do they have a dispensation? – If HMRC believe an umbrella company to be operating compliantly with regards to the way they administer expenses, they will be issued a dispensation. This basically minimise the amount of administration for you, as well as for them and HMRC. An umbrella company with a dispensation will allow you to claim travel and subsistence expenses without having to send in receipts (but still keep them!).

3) Are they known for good customer service? – Why not visit umbrelladetective.com and look at what other contractors say about the differen