IT Contractors UK Forum

Contractors often compare umbrella companies primarily on the advertised weekly or monthly margin. But that surely shouldn't be the only consideration. What else should a contractor genuinely check before choosing an umbrella company? For example: transparency of the payslip; pension arrangements; holiday pay treatment; insurance; salary sacrifice…

We often talk about contracts being “Outside IR35”, but the written contract is only part of the picture. I’d like to hear views on what contractors should pay attention to in the actual day-to-day working relationship. For example: How much importance do you place on control over how the work is delivered? Substitution? Mutuality of obligation?…

A scenario that I suspect quite a few contractors will face at some point: You’re coming towards the end of a contract. The client wants to extend you for another six months, but says budgets have tightened and the extension will only be approved if you accept a £50/day reduction. Everything else remains the same. You know the client, the work and the team…

One of the things I want this Community to do is allow contractors to hear directly from recruiters rather than guessing what happens after an application is submitted. So this one is specifically for recruiters. What are the most common CV mistakes you currently see from experienced IT contractors? Is it: too much technical detail? CVs that are far too…

This is something I’d really like the Community to build some collective intelligence around. There is a lot of discussion about pressure on IT contractor rates, but I suspect the reality varies considerably by specialism, seniority and location. Compared with 12–18 months ago, are the rates you are seeing now higher, lower or broadly unchanged? If…

I’d like to get a real picture of what contractors are experiencing in the market right now. If you are currently looking for a contract, or recently secured one, how long did it take from starting your search to receiving a serious offer? It would be particularly useful if you can share, without revealing anything you would rather keep private: your IT…

Welcome to the IT Contractors UK Community. I’ve wanted to build a proper community around IT Contractors UK for a very long time, and we are finally here. The aim is simple: create a useful space where contractors, recruiters and verified industry experts can ask questions, share experience and learn from each other. I don’t want this to become another…