San Fransisco, CA -- (SBWIRE) -- 04/24/2012 -- With more than 200,000 freelance contractors currently employed by an umbrella company payroll provider in the UK alone, and many thousands more expected to enter the market shortly, comparison website UmbrellaCompanies.org is right at the heart of this involving sector.
The umbrella companies site provides specific advice regarding tax, business expenses and HMRC. It also features a daily news blog, first timer guides, and now a succinct list of the top 10 umbrella companies in the UK, according to the results of their in-depth research.
It has taken umbrella companies over two years to conduct their exhaustive study into the UK umbrella market and have only recently released the findings on their website. These include a detailed and candid review of every single company operating in the market - each being rated by price, customer service, HMRC compliance and customer feedback.
According to the site, “For interim professionals looking to sign up with a contractor Umbrella Company, or for recruitment agencies who wish to compare the various providers out there, umbrella companies is an independent, full-service, one-stop destination.”
UmbrellaCompanies.org was started in 2008 by Martin Smith, a UK tax accountant and former umbrella company Director. Since that time, the market has changed beyond recognition, but the goals of the service provided through the site have not: To bring contractors and freelancers the latest news, views and gossip from the umbrella company market in a stimulating, lively and authoritative way.
According to Smith, the two-year study has drawn some interesting findings into the way that some umbrella companies choose to operate their business. Yet he says that there is still much to be learned about this complex and often misunderstood industry.
“We wanted to be as thorough as possible when conducting each umbrella company review, and leave no stone unturned. There are now over 175 providers in this market so it was an extremely painstaking process, but something that contractors badly needed.”
He continued “What did surprise me was the lack of consistency between the services being offered from one company to the next. It’s pretty clear that some providers are head and shoulders above the rest whereas others are sailing close to the wind.”
For more information about this study or for general help and advice regarding UK umbrellas companies, visit http://www.umbrellacompanies.org/
About UmbrellaCompanies.org
UmbrellaCompanies.org was launched in 2008 by tax accountant Martin Smith to provide news, reviews and information about the UK umbrella companies market. It is considered the go-to site for professional freelancers and recruitment agencies alike.