INTRODUCING OUR NEW FREELANCE SERVICE

Managing your flexible workforce couldn’t be simpler, thanks to our compliant, straight-forward Freelance service.

Freelance from Crest Plus is specially designed to help agencies get self-employed contractors set up and ready to work without delay.

• Check for genuine self-employment – FCSA-regulated employment assessments which support your agency’s in-house procedures
• A great, speedy solution for when you need to place contractors who are outside IR35.
• Minimal administration – you get can your contractors on site when required, without unnecessary hassle or delay.
• Can help you attract the best contractors.  Freelance contracting is a long-term solution but particularly attractive to short-term contractors who do not want to go to the effort or cost of setting up their own limited company.

Giving you peace of mind

Freelance contracting is a great, flexible solution, but it’s not appropriate in all circumstances.

We provide FCSA-regulated self-employment assessments which, when combined with your agency’s in-house procedures, provide peace of mind in ensuring that only genuinely self-employed contractors utilise this solution.

With a track record covering more than 20 years, and one of the most experienced contractor payments teams in the industry, we are perfectly placed to help you use Freelance contracting when it’s most appropriate to do so.

We are keen to create long-term collaborations with all our agency partners, so you can be assured we will take the time to understand your needs and explore with you the most appropriate solution for your agency, your contractors and your clients.

Accredited by the FCSA, we have specialised in compliant contractor payment services since 1999 and have broad experience and expertise in all areas of employment legislation.  We are proud of our reputation for providing high quality, compliant services based on a spirit of collaboration with our agency partners.

Freelance contracting and compliance

One of the main concerns that agencies have with freelance contracting is that they have no control over the correct payment of taxes.  As a freelancer, the contractor is registered as self-employed by HMRC, so is responsible for completing a self-assessment tax return at year-end, and paying the correct tax.

We help to alleviate this concern with our thorough, tried-and-trusted contractor assessments and payments processes, underpinned by our FCSA accreditation.Whilst the contractor remains responsible for paying the correct tax, we work with all of our registered contractors to ensure they are aware of this responsibility.  We provide information and advice to remind contractors to set aside money for their end of year tax liability.  Also, Crest Plus registered contractors can take advantage of our preferential rates on self-assessment tax returns.

How it works

The first step is to arrange a detailed discussion with our account management team.  They will seek to understand your needs to help determine if Freelance is an appropriate solution to offer your contractors.

If it is, the rest is simple.

1. You refer your contractors to us.
2. We undertake Contractor Assessments to check the individuals and their assignments are an appropriate ‘fit’ for our Freelance solution.
3. If it is, we then put the contractors through our industry-leading on-boarding procedure which includes all the usual identity checks etc to ensure compliance.  We also take this opportunity to reinforce to the contractors’ their responsibilities regarding the payment of tax.
4. We then complete their set-up and confirm to your agency and the contractors that they’re ready to begin work.
5. To get paid, the contractors complete their timesheet and submit to your agency.
6. Your agency can then pass the contractors’ gross payments to us (without making any tax, National Insurance or other deductions) and we pass payments onto the contractors, minus  the income we retain from the contract sum
7. We remind the contractors at regular intervals about the need to complete a self-assessment tax return and we offer preferential rates on our tax return service. Contractors can access information about their payments whenever required through our secure online portal. We’re available to them for information, support and advice whenever required.

To arrange a discussion about our Freelance contracting service, or to set up a meeting, please contact Ian Young, our Head of Business Development, on 07825 427044 or email [email protected]