Registering with agencies / negotiating rates / umbrella companies

SChitmehard

Hi,

I am starting work after a bit of a break in social care and have NEVER used agencies for work (always been a permanent employee). I have a few questions about:-

1) Is it wise to register with more than 1 agency or should I just pick 1-2 ? Do they all probably have the same jobs and is there a likelihood that agencies will find out I'm registered with more than 1 and get annoyed with me?

2) who negotiates the rate of pay?? Should I negotiate this with the recruitment agency or the employer directly (during the "interview") if they want me to work for them? Are there any tips for getting the best rate?

3) A lot of the agencies use umbrella companies or PAYE for salary payments. Which should I choose and if I use an umbrella, how to do I choose a good one?

TYVM.
 

DullGreyGuy

Can't say for social care explicitly but in general...

1) Generally multiple agencies, it does somewhat depend on if you are picking up long or short engagements. Obv if they keep offering you work and you keep turning it down then you'll move down their list of who they call first etc but generally as long as you're just telling them you've picked up a 2 month engagement then they'll update their records to reach out in 6-7 weeks etc. 

2) It depends... in some cases the agencies are offered £X and it's up to them what they pay you whereas others will get 20% above whatever your rate is. Generally they negotiate with the client and you negotiate with them. Obv in the later case its in their interest to get you a higher rate whereas the first case they'll try to get you to take something lower. I'm senior enough that I can ask straight questions, when your more junior its harder. I'm clear up front on what I want, sometimes that will get adjusted when, for example, the "occasional travel" in the spec turns out to be every other week. 

3) You need to understand the detail of the offer, in particular if you are employed by an umbrella then your £X a hour will be what the Umbrella earns and from that they have to take employer costs like Employers NI (in addition to Employee NI) and apprentice surcharge etc. Most have calculators to work out monies so you can see who'll give you more take home but double check if holiday will be paid or unpaid, many pre-pay your holiday so actual holidays are unpaid 

Choosing the best really depends on what you want... some like being able to add to their own pension as an employers contribution and only some umbrellas offer this, others you have to stick with their pension provider (obv any employers pension contribution really comes out your money too)

I've used 3 umbrellas, they were all very similar, one was slightly poorer but that was because they only offered weekly pay but bought out my umbrella where I was paid monthly so was really teething problems of having to adapt to monthly

Grumpy_chap

SChitmehard said:

Hi,

I am starting work after a bit of a break in social care. I have a few questions about:-

1) Is it wise to register with more than 1 agency or should I just pick 1-2 ? Do they all probably have the same jobs and is there a likelihood that agencies will find out I'm registered with more than 1 and get annoyed with me?

2) who negotiates the rate of pay?? Should I negotiate this with the recruitment agency or the employer directly (during the "interview") if the want me to work for them? Are there any tips for getting the best rate?

3) A lot of the agencies use umbrella companies or PAYE for salary payments. Which should I choose and if I use an umbrella, how to do I choose a good one?

TYVM.
 

1 - generally multiple agencies, but do not let multiple agencies put you forward for the same job.  If Agency X puts you to company 1, then Agency X "owns" you for that company (for a period of time at least).

2 - normally you negotiate rate with the agency in advance of them putting you forward and don't talk money with the end client.

3 - choosing the UC is a case of the Agency advising which companies they deal with and then simply asking each for a proposal.  The main things that vary are the "margin" (UC fee), how they manage pension contributions - where they will make contributions to and how they accept salary sacrifice - sometimes access to a benefits portal