Author: Michael Bryce

IR35 Compliance for Recruiters: Stop Guessing

Most agencies treating IR35 compliance for recruiters as a paperwork exercise are one investigation away from a costly wake-up call. The off-payroll working rules place real obligations on recruitment agencies. Status determination statements matter. But they’re the starting point, not the finish line. When HMRC opens an inquiry into a contractor arrangement, it looks beyond […]

Recruitment Agency Compliance in 2026

Three changes to recruitment agency compliance landed on 6th April 2026. Most agencies noticed one of them. The Employment Rights Act 2025, new Statutory Sick Pay rules, and updated guidance on umbrella company oversight all came into force on the same date. Together, they reshaped what recruitment agency compliance actually requires. If your compliance processes […]

Umbrella Company Due Diligence for Agencies: A Practical Guide

Your preferred supplier list is a start. It’s not a record of umbrella company due diligence for agencies. Most recruitment agencies have an approved list of umbrella companies. The problem isn’t the list itself. It’s what the list doesn’t show: whether those suppliers were compliant when you last placed a worker through them, and whether […]

Recruitment Supply Chain Risk: Where Your Exposure Sits in 2026

Three major compliance changes landed on the same date: 6th April 2026. If you’re a recruitment agency working with umbrella companies, your supply chain risk just got significantly more complex. Recruitment supply chain risk used to mean reputational exposure. A non-compliant umbrella company reflected badly on you. That was inconvenient. Now, it’s financial. Joint and […]

Payslip Auditing for Recruitment Agencies: Close the Gap Before HMRC Does

Your umbrella company says they’re compliant. But can you read the payslip? Payslip auditing for recruitment agencies is one of the most overlooked compliance checks in the supply chain. Agencies rely on umbrella partners to process payroll correctly. Most have no way to independently verify whether that’s actually happening. veriPAYE closes that gap. The Payslip […]

Umbrella Company Due Diligence: What Agencies Must Evidence Now

Joint and several liability came into force on 6th April 2026. HMRC can now pursue your agency directly for unpaid PAYE when an umbrella company in your supply chain fails to account correctly. That changes what umbrella company due diligence for agencies actually means. It’s not a box-ticking exercise. It’s documented evidence that you assessed […]