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.

Clockwork Contracting – Precision in Payroll, Excellence in Service

Clockwork Contracting is a proud, certified member of SafeRec—one of the first umbrella companies to achieve this certification. We are committed to continuous improvement, always seeking innovative solutions that elevate industry standards for the benefit of contractors and agencies alike.

Why Choose Clockwork?

Low Contractor Fees – Unlike many competitors, we keep costs fair by forgoing large sales teams, relying instead on the trust and recommendations of our clients and contractors. This means overheads are lower and savings can be passed to our contractors. Seamless Payroll Experience – Our focus is on delivering a smooth, efficient, and hassle-free payroll service from start to finish. Swift Problem Resolution – We understand that errors can be stressful. That’s why we prioritise rapid response times with short SLAs, ensuring that mistakes become swift solutions.

At Clockwork Contracting, we don’t just provide payroll services—we set the standard for reliability, efficiency, and professionalism.

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

I4 have been in operation since 2005 and have partnered with over 10,000 businesses and paid over 35,000 contractors. Our services offer temporary workers and freelancers an opportunity to retain the correct amount of their hard-earned cash, without any of the overheads or risks of running their own companies or falling foul of IR35 legislation. i4 will look after the calculation, deduction and payment of all statutory payments for you. Get organised on the go with innovative and convenient solutions that free up your time to focus on doing what you do best. We have recently partnered up with ANDREW NOLAN MORTGAGES LTD to help contractors secure mortgages as it can prove difficult.

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.

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.

Your trusted partner, experts in Legislation, Contracts, Insurances and Payroll. Honesty and transparency are at the heart of our operations and with over 25 years experience in contractor engagement, we get it. We offer a tailored and consultative approach to our workers, agencies and end clients and we'll be your first point of contact for any advice or guidance you need.

With over 20 years of experience running recruitment agencies, Phillips Payroll understands the unique challenges of managing temporary payroll and delivers services designed to make workforce management simple, compliant, and dependable. We provide fully managed payroll and workforce solutions to the recruitment sector, ensuring contractors and temporary workers are paid correctly and on time, every time.

We process multiple pay methods including PAYE (Umbrella & PEO) and Construction Industry Scheme (CIS). Our comprehensive service covers onboarding, verification, tax and NI deductions, CIS returns, payslip production, and payment execution, removing administrative and compliance burdens from our clients.

At Phillips Payroll, we pride ourselves on delivering exceptional customer service, with a dedicated and responsive team that ensures every client and worker receives the support they need. Our compliance-first approach, combined with flexible engagement models and a genuine commitment to service excellence, ensures transparency, reduces risk, and provides a reliable, trusted solution for both clients and workers.

Since 2006, Liquid Friday has supported contractors and recruitment agencies with a clear commitment to doing business the right way. We provide PAYE umbrella and CIS payroll and a range of supporting workforce solutions, underpinned by award-winning customer service, innovation and strong financial stability. Stride, our industry-leading platform centralises contractor management, making onboarding, compliance and payroll faster and easier than ever.

As long-standing FCSA accredited members, compliance is embedded throughout our processes and customer journey. We enable agencies to move faster, reduce risk and deliver a better experience for contractors and clients alike. Known for our transparent, straight-talking approach and contractor-first ethos, Liquid Friday is a trusted and principled partner within the contingent labour market.