Comparator

With over 20 years of experience, Parasol has grown from providing umbrella payroll services to offering comprehensive employment and payroll solutions. During this time, we’ve supported more than 250,000 professionals and partnered with over 3,000 recruitment agencies and end clients.

We understand the critical priorities for your candidates, clients, and agency: exceptional support, on-time payments, and full compliance with HMRC regulations. These are at the heart of everything we do and are reflected in the loyalty of professionals who choose us year after year, as well as our long-standing partnerships with some of the most recognised names in recruitment. As a founding member of the FCSA and a company created by a contractor for contractors, Parasol makes getting paid simple for the agile workforce. Since our launch in 2000, our goal has been to empower contractors to maximise their careers by offering complete peace of mind through accurate, compliant, and reliable payroll services.

Speedy Onboarding

Getting started is simple. Agencies provide basic details and terms; contractors complete a quick Right to Work check via Trust ID (just three minutes). We handle all paperwork and contracts for a smooth process.

Compliance-First

As an FCSA founding member, we set the gold standard in UK tax, employment, and regulatory compliance—giving agencies and contractors complete peace of mind.

Security & Stability

We safeguard your data with Cyber Essentials Plus certification and maintain strong financial stability to ensure uninterrupted payroll services.

Trusted Guidance

Our expert teams offer tailored support, onboarding assistance, and training workshops—the largest agency and employee support network in the sector.

Why should you choose Carrington? Because Carrington cares.

We are not sales driven; we are people driven. In our 20 years of Umbrella service our contractor base has grown largely through personal recommendation as well as a bedrock of contractors who just keep returning for our quality service, and we are therefore without a sales team or a sales pitch. We are committed to transparent, prompt and communicative service. There are no hidden charges; there is support with the complexities of the thorny issues such as holiday pay and expenses. Our company values, objectives and philosophy are a direct reflection of the kind of service culture we want to inspire where everyone involved is driven to create a world-class next-generation workforce. Our service has been shaped to our valuable flexible workforce and we aim to provide unrivalled customer care throughout their employment with us. Simply put we strive to be the best and offer the greatest value to our contractors.

Our dedicated team has been providing support to contractors and agencies for over 30 years. We pride ourselves on service and go above and beyond, not only because we care, because we know that payroll is important to the UK’s flexible workforce. Our priority is ensuring you are paid correctly and efficiently. We offer same day faster payments as standard.

We use our expertise to provide a leading umbrella service which is SafeRec Certified and FCSA accredited. We make sure you are up to date with legislation changes and provide the support and knowledge you need to succeed. Our compliant Umbrella service is provided with a low fixed margin enabling contractors to take home as much as possible.

Putting Contractors First, Every Step of the Way

With over 20 years of experience supporting contractors and freelancers, SmartWork combines the reassurance of full compliance with the personal service you’d expect from a team that genuinely cares about your success.

Compliance You Can Trust

We’ve held FCSA accreditation for 10 years and have been an APSCo Trusted Partner for over 20 years – certifications that are rigorously audited annually to protect contractors and give recruitment agencies complete confidence.

Our ISO 27001 certification protects your data security, while our SafeRec certification helps recruitment partners minimise compliance risk across the supply chain.

A Service Loved by Contractors

Our commitment to supporting contractors is reflected in our outstanding Google and Trustpilot reviews. When you work with SmartWork, you’re not just a number; you get a dedicated account manager and a team that’s there to help every step of the way.

What We Offer:

For Contractors:

 Get paid faster – Same-day payments at no extra cost

 Stay in control – Secure online portal for payslips, timesheets, and documents

 No hidden costs – Transparent pricing with no setup or exit fees

 Fully protected – Comprehensive insurance including Public & Employers’ Liability, Professional Indemnity, and Medical Malpractice

 Proper employment – Full contract of employment with all statutory benefits

 Life perks – Referral reward, private pension support, and access to contractor- specialist mortgages  Quick to start – Set up in as little as 15 minutes, online or by phone

For Recruitment Partners:

 Real-time payroll verification – SafeRec certification for live compliance checking

 Dedicated agency support managers – Your direct line to our team

 Advance payment facilities – Available for preferred partners

 Trusted track record – Featured on over 100 Preferred Supplier Lists

 Seamless contractor experience – Making your candidates’ journey smooth and compliant

Click on one of the links to the left to contact us; we’d love to hear from you.

Umbrella Company UK was launched in 2019 and has revolutionised the way contractors and freelancers are paid through an umbrella company. We live in a digital world, and we wanted to modernise the umbrella experience. How did we achieve this? We introduced a state-of-the-art app. The app is intelligent. It will allow you to submit their hours and view your payslips – all while on the go!

We’re relatively new on the scene, but we have already received exceptional feedback from our clients. When you join us, you’ll be able to take advantage of:

• Our state-of-the-art app (meaning you’ll have hardly any administration) • Easy sign-up process • £25 million insurance package • Same Day Faster Payments • Employee Benefits, including Sick Pay and Maternity/Paternity Pay • No tie in period, and no joining or leaving fees • Access to Umbrella Company UK Rewards – our employee discount scheme* • Fully compliant payroll (PAYE) – we’re proudly accredited by the FCSA.

• Available for clients who opt for the Umbrella Company UK premium service only.

Navigate People was created and is managed by a team of conscientious and dependable people who have seen a real gap in this market for genuinely excellent proactive support in delivering umbrella, PEO and CIS sub-contracting focussed on providing first class service and real added value for both workers and recruitment businesses. As workers and agencies increasingly want to know where to find the best value added benefits packages, including, for example, Personal Accident cover and fuel discounts for workers, we are constantly looking to improve our offerings for the benefit of all who work with Navigate People.

Rebus offer PAYE umbrella and self-employed solutions for the temporary contractor industry . We provide the highest quality of service to ensure you receive your payment for the work you undertake. We are owned by a former HMRC Tax Inspector and our staff have over 25 years experience in the industry.

Generate is a customer-focused contractor management company, delivering compliant and streamlined contractor payroll solutions to recruitment agencies and contractors across the UK and internationally.

We are proud to be an FCSA member, REC business partner and iWORK partner and have been recognised by the London Stock Exchange's ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ for three consecutive years.

Our commitment and dedication to customer care and compliance is why recruitment agencies trust us with their contractors and contractors trust us with their pay.

As part of the Generate family, you will be supported every step of the way and can rest assured you are receiving the best possible service at all times.

We offer our contractors:

• A personalised service from our friendly team who care about your individual circumstances
• An efficient, informative and transparent registration process
• Hassle-free solutions to allow you to concentrate on your work
• Easy to use payroll and perks portal, with thousands of high street and online discounts and CPD training courses
• Comprehensive public liability and professional indemnity insurance
• 100% compliant pay, accurate and on time, every time

Oasis, with its wealth of knowledge and expertise in both accountancy and umbrella, offer contractors and recruitment partners a hassle-free and compliant approach to getting paid, whilst always delivering a quality service. To demonstrate our commitment to compliance we are accredited by both FCSA and Professional Passport and are affiliate members of ACCA. Our long-term agency relationships have been built on trust, unparalleled service, and proactive support. Our bespoke services, tailored to your specific requirements and in a world of ever-changing legislation, we aim to provide you with the most up to date guidance and advice. Passionate and committed to driving up standards, Oasis keeps the supply chain risk free by paying all taxes and associated payments on time.