Comparator

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.

Compliant and efficient umbrella company with extensive experience within the construction industry

Established in 2002, ICS Accounting has been supporting contractors, freelancers and small business owners across the UK for over 18 years. Our ethos of trust, care and compliance enable you to focus on your job without the task of endless paperwork, ensuring you are operating compliantly.

The ICS Accounting Umbrella solution provides an employment solution for independent workers, taking the stress out of contracting. ICS Accounting will process your pay either weekly or monthly, paying relevant Tax and NI liabilities to HMRC and the rest to yourself, ensuring you’re paid accurately and on time. As an employee, you will receive full employment rights, including holiday pay and sick pay, cover from our comprehensive insurances and access to our comprehensive employee benefits portal. Through the portal you will find huge discounts on your shopping as well as a wellbeing area providing education, support and tools to be the best version of yourself at home and at work.

Built for a new era of Umbrella payroll, where compliance, transparency and trust comes first.

Backed by the Marquee Group and SafeRec accredited, Arkon Pay delivers a fully compliant PAYE solution designed for today's contractor market.

Combining industry expertise with a technology led approach, we provide a reliable, straightforward service to both agencies and contractors. From onboarding through to ongoing support, out focus is on consistency, clarity and doing things properly.

Arkon Pay is more than just an umbrella provider, we are a trusted partner in an increasingly regulated market.

At Umbrella.co.uk, we make contracting simple, secure, and stress-free. As one of the UK’s leading and most compliant umbrella companies, we’ve supported tens of thousands of contractors for over 16 years - helping them get paid on time, stay fully compliant, and enjoy all the benefits of employment without the admin.

Our fully FCSA-accredited umbrella payroll service is built on trust, transparency, and integrity. From fast, hassle-free onboarding to accurate and timely payments, contractors consistently praise us for being “efficient, professional, and friendly,” with reviews on Trustpilot and Google reflecting our Excellent five-star rating. We don’t just meet compliance standards - we set them - working closely with SafeRec and other independent auditors to give agencies and contractors total peace of mind.

Every process at Umbrella.co.uk is underpinned by robust data protection and information security measures. We are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 certified - the international standards for quality management and information security - demonstrating our commitment to safeguarding sensitive data and maintaining service excellence. In addition, our Cyber Essentials certification ensures our systems are protected against modern cyber threats, giving contractors and clients confidence that their personal information is always safe.

But we don’t stop at umbrella payroll. We also offer CIS payroll services for construction workers and have a Limited Company accountancy service, giving contractors the flexibility to choose the payment structure that best suits their working arrangements and goals.

For contractors looking to make the most of their income and plan for the future, we offer a salary sacrifice pension option. This allows you to contribute directly to your personal pension while benefiting from reduced tax and National Insurance contributions. We also pass on the full employment cost saving, making it an efficient and tax-smart way to build long-term financial security.

All employees also have the option to benefit from our Umbrella Rewards Pro platform - packed with valuable benefits including a BHSF healthcare plan for everyday health and wellbeing support, and a discounted fuel card, helping contractors save money on life’s essentials.

Whether it’s a contractor registering online, an agency managing multiple placements, or a client needing a trusted payroll partner, we handle everything with care, clarity, and compliance.

If you’re looking for a reliable umbrella payroll provider that puts people first, prioritises compliance, and delivers exceptional service every time - Umbrella.co.uk is the clear choice.

NASA Group is a specialist umbrella supplier based in Bristol, working exclusively within the contracting industry nationwide.

As well as being one of the most cost-effective in the industry, we pride ourselves on offering far greater value for our agency partners thanks to the unique way in which we collaborate with them. Rather than a typical ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution, we always ensure that our process is perfectly aligned with theirs so that the entire operation is as efficient as it can be. This benefits everyone in the supply chain including the recruitment agency, by enabling them to spend more time recruiting rather than payroll processing and problem-solving. It also allows the contractor to work more effectively as they fully understand the process and have far fewer questions or concerns. NASA Group goes above and beyond their duty as an employer.

This commitment continues throughout the entire agency relationship as we remain at the forefront of compliance and industry updates. Training agency staff on solutions and legislation is all part of the service, plus NASA Group will assist your business in preparing for legislative changes affecting your sector too. This helps to create a partnership far more valuable than a typical umbrella supplier.

We are always on hand to discuss how we can assist you, plus with regional account managers throughout the UK, we would be glad to talk in person too.

Compass is leading the way in umbrella employment. Whether you are new to contracting or have been one for some time, Compass has the experience and range of solutions to ensure you are provided with the solution that works best for you. We are committed to providing you with hassle free payment solutions, excellent customer care, market leading technology and reliable compliance based on expert knowledge and industry experience.

NumberMill knows more than most how important payroll and related compliance is to the sector. More than ever and with the introduction of the Criminal Finance Act September 2017, it is even more important for agencies to have the reassurance that their partners meet high standards of compliance and eliminate risk in the supply chain. NumberMill truly has the qualifications, skills, and expertise to keep both contractors and agencies compliant whilst being agile, offering the best commercial, honest & transparent advice, in a constantly changing legislative environment.

As one of the UK’s largest and most trusted Umbrella companies, we combine cutting-edge systems with deep industry expertise to ensure your pay is accurate, reliable, and always on time.

We’ve been supporting contractors and recruitment agencies since 1989, paying over 10 million people to date. Our commitment to exceptional customer service, compliance and payroll accuracy has earned us consistently excellent Trustpilot reviews making us the trusted choice for contractors across the UK.

Why Workwell?

• Fast and easy registration – candidates can email hello@workwellcontractorsolutions.com, call 01923 257 257, or register online Umbrella Company Set Up for Contractors - Workwell Umbrella
• Perks and discounts – access to a wide range of savings across high street and online retailers, with potential savings of - up to £1,000 per year Rewards - Workwell Contractor Solutions
• Statutory payments – including sick pay, maternity pay, and paternity pay
• Full employment rights – considered an employee of Workwell
• Holiday pay – option to accrue or receive weekly payments; holiday accrual will be clearly shown on payslips
• Advance payments – same-day payments available where authorised by the agency
• Real-time compliance – through our partnership with SafeRec, all payslips are monitored and audited in real time to ensure full HMRC compliance