Contractor Management
Work with UK contractors, with IR35 under control
Contractors give you flexibility, but the off-payroll working rules put the risk on the client. We help you engage, document and pay contractors properly, and move them onto UK employment when that's the safer choice.
Contractor engagement
- Status assessment
- Documented
- Status determination statement
- Issued
- Contract & IP terms
- Signed
- Invoices & payments
- Managed
How we help
Three ways to work with contractors safely
IR35 status support
We help you gather the facts of each engagement, use HMRC's CEST tool, and issue a reasoned status determination statement where the rules require one.
Onboarding and payments
Contracts with clear scope, confidentiality and IP terms, collected company and bank details, and invoices paid on time.
Convert to employment
When a role is really employment, we can employ the person through our employer of record service, with PAYE and full employee rights.
Who decides
Who's responsible under the off-payroll rules?
| Compare | Medium or large client | Small client |
|---|---|---|
| Who decides IR35 status | The client, with a status determination statement | The contractor's own company |
| Who deducts tax and NI if inside IR35 | The fee-payer (often the client) | The contractor's company |
| Main risk for the client | Unpaid tax and NI if the decision is wrong or missing | Lower, but misclassification claims are still possible |
Company size follows the Companies Act tests. Thresholds changed for financial years starting on or after 6 April 2025; see our IR35 guide.
FAQ
Contractor management FAQs
What is IR35?
IR35, or the off-payroll working rules, applies when a worker provides services through their own limited company but would be an employee if engaged directly. If it applies, tax and National Insurance must be deducted as if they were employed.
Can you make the IR35 decision for us?
The legal responsibility stays with the client where the rules say so. We help you gather the facts, use HMRC's tools and document a reasoned decision, and we recommend specialist tax advice for borderline cases.
Can a contractor become an employee through you?
Yes. If the role looks like employment, we can employ the person on a UK contract as their employer of record, so they get employee rights and you remove the IR35 question.
Using contractors in the UK?
Tell us how many you work with and how they're engaged, and we'll suggest the safest setup.