Hi I currently work full time (non driving related)and I’m looking to sign up to an agency.
Should I sign up as umbrella or Page and what is the difference?
Many thanks in advance
PAYE is what you are almost certainly on now.
You do the hours, they calculate your gross pay, your company pay clerk pays your tax, NI and pension contributions as appropriate. You get a pay envelope with a payslip and the net amount of money (Probably paid directly into your bank account).
Umbrella. Technically, you work as a self-employed subcontractor to the companies the agency send you to. The agency calculate your hours and so gross pay. They pay your tax and NI as appropriate, and charge you for the privilege. You get a payslip and the net amount of money. Your gross will be higher than as a PAYE employee, because they pay subcontractors more per hour. Your net pay will be the same as an employee of the agency, it might, possibly, be slightly higher, but not by much at all. You are responsible for holiday pay, pension contributions, sick pay and anything else, because you are self-employed.
The difference is, as a subcontractor you can be ‘let go’ even easier than an agency employee.
That is my understanding of the way these “umbrella” schemes work.
I might have it all wrong. I’m sure someone will correct me if I am 
Simon:
PAYE is what you are almost certainly on now.
You do the hours, they calculate your gross pay, your company pay clerk pays your tax, NI and pension contributions as appropriate. You get a pay envelope with a payslip and the net amount of money (Probably paid directly into your bank account).Umbrella. Technically, you work as a self-employed subcontractor to the companies the agency send you to. The agency calculate your hours and so gross pay. They pay your tax and NI as appropriate, and charge you for the privilege. You get a payslip and the net amount of money. Your gross will be higher than as a PAYE employee, because they pay subcontractors more per hour. Your net pay will be the same as an employee of the agency, it might, possibly, be slightly higher, but not by much at all. You are responsible for holiday pay, pension contributions, sick pay and anything else, because you are self-employed.
The difference is, as a subcontractor you can be ‘let go’ even easier than an agency employee.That is my understanding of the way these “umbrella” schemes work.
I might have it all wrong. I’m sure someone will correct me if I am
You’ve got it right ,
Only good umbrella keeps you dry from the rain
Go PAYE
Umbrella quotes a higher pay rate because you are liable for your taxes. No one on here has a good word to say about them.
Only bad agencies offer umbrella.
These bad agencies tend to be in areas where there’s not enough work for the drivers, so some drivers get desperate and accept umbrella even though they shouldn’t.
The umbrella companies tend to be in offshore havens such as the British Virgin Islands and quickly close down when HMRC goes after them. HMRC goes after the umbrella companies because they are fiddling the tax system and not paying their fair share of taxes. The umbrella companies will often not pass on the tax that the driver has paid, resulting in HMRC coming after the driver for payment of taxes. The driver ends up paying his taxes twice. Once to the umbrella company and once directly to HMRC, plus fines and interest of course for late payment.