Frequently Asked Questions
Whether you are an experienced freelancer, or new to the market, starting work for an umbrella company often raises questions. In this section we have tried to answer the most common questions, but if you can't find the answer you are looking for please contact us and we will do our very best to help you.
General
- Remind me, what exactly is an Umbrella Company?
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Umbrella companies, like Springboard provide employment for contractors, freelancers, consultants, interims and other flexible workers who want to enjoy the benefits of a flexible work life balance and simple administration, but who don’t want the hassle, liabilities and risk of running a limited company or becoming a sole trader.
- How quickly can I start working for Springboard?
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You could be up and running within 24 hours if everyone in the chain, including your agency and/or client, does their bit. You should register online now. We need to check your identity to ensure that you are allowed to work in the UK, and we also need to confirm that your workplace is temporary in case you need to claim temporary workplace-related expenses.
- Are there any costs for joining or leaving Springboard?
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No, there are no costs associated with your employment, we only deduct a margin to cover our costs and we do not charge anything for joining or leaving Springboard. You are an employee of Springboard Umbrella Company until you tender your resignation and work through your notice period (usually one week). As soon as you have served your notice period, you are no longer an employee.
Administration
- Why do you need to see my ID?
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All employers in the UK have a responsibility to prevent illegal migrant working. We must therefore check the entitlement of everyone who we employ to work. We normally require a copy of your passport which should be certified in accordance with the rules relating to this. Our customer service team can provide further information in this regard.
- What is a Professional Passport Verification?
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If you hold a signed, current UK/EU passport Springboard Umbrella Company Ltd can now verify this through Professional Passport saving you time and money. If you wish to use our Professional Passport Service, please provide a clear copy of your passport including the long readable number at the bottom of your passport (please be sure to include all the >>>>>and the last two digits at the end) with your full name as stated on your passport and email to support@springboardumbrella.co.uk
- How do I leave Springboard?
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If you decide to leave Springboard, you must resign and although we will be sorry to see you go we will process your P45 and sent this to you the following week. Please note that in accordance with HMRC rules at the point you decide to leave Springboard you will not be eligible to claim for any expenses in relation to working at a temporary workplace.
About your pay
- Why do I appear to pay Employers National Insurance?
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You do not pay Employers National Insurance (Ers' NI) but it is deducted and paid from the agency income that Springboard receives for supplying your services. The rate that Springboard negotiates with your agency includes all employer related costs including holiday pay and employers national insurance. Employment agencies often refer to this rate as the limited company rate and this rate of pay is higher than if you were being paid directly by the agency. We account for Ers' NI and pay this across to the Inland Revenue before we calculate your pay, which is calculated on the gross pay that Springboard pays you, not the rate that Springboard receives from an agency or client.
- Why is holiday pay shown on my payslip?
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As an employee of Springboard Umbrella Company you are entitled to paid holiday. The agency or hirer will usually include an additional payment for holiday pay in the rate that is agreed with Springboard. We then give you a choice. It can either be advanced to you weekly, or you can opt to have it retained by us and paid to you when you take your annual leave. The choice is yours; obviously though if you choose to have it advanced there will be no further payment due when you take your annual leave.
- How do I know I have been paid?
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When we process your pay, we will send you a text message to confirm. Please note that the text message is sent when we process your pay and if your bank account is able to receive Faster Payments you will have the money in your account later that day. If you are being paid by BACS it will take three working days to clear. Please note that payments can clear any time up to 11pm, so we would advise against chasing for payment during the morning on any given day as it is unlikely, especially for Faster Payments that your money will show as cleared funds until the afternoon/evening.
About your contract
- What benefits am I entitled to?
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You are employed by us under what is known as an overarching employment contract. This means that you are entitled to full employment benefits including holiday, sickness, maternity and paternity pay. We also offer a contributory pension scheme.
- When will I get my employment contract?
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When you become an employee of Springboard we will normally send you an email providing full details of how to access our portal. Our portal is really "your portal" as it provides you with a one stop access point in relation to your employment with Springboard. We will send your employment contract direct to your portal and you will have the opportunity to read this before deciding to accept the terms of it. Please note if you decide not to accept our employment terms then you will be unable to join the company.
- Can I see my assignment details?
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Of course, when we receive details of any assignment either from agency or hirer we will set up a unique placement for you. We will send details of your assignment to your portal and if you are in agreement with the assignment details we will ask you to accept these. Only when you accept these will you be able to see details of the assignment on your portal, and only then will you be able to enter your timesheet against the assignment.
Contact Us
If your query is not answered here, please either call us on 0845 602 7712 or let us call you or email support@springboardumbrella.co.uk We will be pleased to help.
