What could account for this robustness? Perhaps it has to do with the fact that as companies look to make efficencies IT becomes a major part of those cost savings? Automated systems and cutting down on the man hours required to perform certain tasks are an excellent way of making real savings in what you spend month on month. The contractor market in particular can benefit from these efficencies because the last thing companies want to be doing right now is hiring a full time position in order to save a full time position elsewhere. During the boom times of the last 90′s and early 00′s this was common practice. New systems came with new IT staff! It is perhaps for this reason again that traditional database and office integration skills are in high demand. The “get in and get it done” nature of most IT projects have always lended themselves to shorter term contracts as opposed to full time positions and now as efficencies are looked for it’s IT contractors with the right skills that look to be struggling least.

Are You An IT Contractor, Have You Struggled To Find Contracts?

Still Plenty Of Work For IT Contractors? is a post from: UK Contractor Services Offshore Contractors

Of course it is easy for experts to make predictions but one report does seem to have backed it up what most predict. The highly regarded London Employment Monitor report found that there was an 11% improvement in in financial services opportunities just for the period of March 2011. We’ll have to see how the rest of the year pans out but growth anywhere near that level would surely be welcomed by the many people who have been suffering badly for the past few years. Of course the opportunites may be there but it still doesn’t take into account how good those opportunites are.

We’d like to know what you think though. Do you work in the financial services market, have you seen an improvement in the number of job opportunites?

Is The Financial Services Market Recovering? is a post from: UK Contractor Services Offshore Contractors

As well as technology at the actual venues themselves London as a whole will see upgrades to various services including an extension to the existing Wifi network and the addition of internet access to the underground. Finding the space to comfortably “surf” may be a whole different problem! A lot of money will also be invested in making sure that emergency service access is maintained.

A large part of the case for winning the Olympics as the money invested is that it would generate sizable numbers of jobs and it looks like contractors are going to be included in those that benefit. How long term these posts will be will have to be seen but any increase in demand for skilled IT professionals can only be a good thing in the current economic climate.

Are You Involved With The Olympics? is a post from: UK Contractor Services Offshore Contractors

1. The Offshore Partnership. Based around double taxation legislation that permitted offshore companies to handle your payroll in a very efficient way. These schemes have all now been closed due to updated HMRC legislation.

2. Employee Benefit Trusts. Perhaps the most controversial payroll scheme to date for IT contractors. HMRC insist these are no longer compliant yet many scheme providers insist they are. Several providers have been investigated by HMRC. (Please see here for a tax efficient alternative to the EBT.)

3. Umbrella Company. A payroll solution that gives you the full statutory benefits of being a PAYE employee. Of course on the downside it is the most expensive payroll solution for IT contractors. The main benefit of an umbrella company is that it removes the burdens of running your own company.

4. Invoice Only (Gross Pay). Designed for contractors who are registered as self employed. An invoice only scheme gives you the ability to remain completely in control of your finances ensuring that all payments due to you are received gross. It’s then up to you to manage your own tax affairs. The main benefit for self employed contractors is that it removes the burdens of invoicing and chasing payment plus other administrative tasks.

There are several other solutions but the providers tend to be very shy on revealing the practicalities involved! If you’re currently an IT contractor operating in the UK and are stuck for a solution please feel free to use the contact form at the top of the page and we’ll do our best to put you in contact with a suitable payroll provider.

IT Contractor Payroll is a post from: UK Contractor Services Offshore Contractors

Greater Pay
In the IT sector in particular the pay differences between contracted work and salaried work can be enormous, the average being two to three times the hourly rate of non contractors.

Greater Choice
Being a contractor allows you to decide on the type of tasks you wish to undertake, if you don’t like what a contract involves then you don’t take that contract. As an IT employee it is not unusual for you to end up also being the person who fixes the chairs, repairs the photocopier and many other “technology” related tasks. Contracting allows IT professionals to choose the work they want to do and be more valued in the process.

Better Knowledge
In the ever changing world of information technology it is essential for the modern professional to be able to learn new skills. In a traditional role within a company many IT staff are stuck doing the same job(s) for years on end and never need or want to learn. Contracting requires that you can offer the skills that are most in demand, this benefits your clients and ensures that most contractors are much more flexible with their knowledge than other IT professionals.

Greater Flexibility
As a self employed UK IT Contractor paid holidays are out but on the other hand by working for yourself you have much greater flexibility when it comes to taking time off. For contractors with family commitments the ability to earn large amounts of money in short spaces of time means that the flexibility is there to enjoy more family time. For many others it is not unusual to work 6 months on and 6 months off. You always have the flexibility to not accept a contract if you’re not actively looking for work.

Benefits Of IT Contracting is a post from: UK Contractor Services Offshore Contractors