UK Umbrella Company - FCSA & Professional Passport Accredited
Multiple award-winning payroll provider supporting recruitment agencies, hirers and temporary workers in the UK.
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The Umbrella Company Process
If you're new to contracting and fall inside IR35, working under an umbrella company is arguably the best way to work. But what exactly does this involve?
...Plus you get to enjoy
Continuous employment
Applying for mortgages and loans is much easier with continuous employment.
Tax made simple
PAYE and National Insurance deductions made for you. Keep on the right side of HMRC
Employee benefits
All the statutory benefits of a traditional employee. Maternity, paternity and sick pay are all included.
Workplace freedom
Choose when, where and how you work. Get the flexibility and autonomy that comes with being a contractor.
Get access to the employee benefits you deserve.
We’ve teamed up with top-notch companies to offer you amazing benefits whilst keeping you protected. Join DASA Umbrella to access these benefits.
Customer is Always Right
Compliance is also central to Ackerman Pierce’s offering as they operate primarily in the public sector which has been subject to changes in IR35 legislation and a strengthening of the Criminal Finance Act. DASA’s compliance credentials and transparent operational policies provide the confidence and peace of mind demanded by agencies active within this space.
The DASA team never shy away from a problem and Leo is always available and at the end of the phone to help when required. Occasionally, if one of our consultants has failed to forward over a timesheet and hadn’t realised until Friday, Leo always makes sure the contractors are paid regardless. Many of our contractors want their wages paid at one-minute past midnight on payroll day so it is great to know that they will always get paid even if there has been a slight glitch in the process. Other umbrella companies we have used have not been so flexible which results in the contractor not getting paid on time which is our worst nightmare.
I am happy providing all my candidates are paid on time and I don’t receive any disgruntled phone calls on a Friday. Before I formed Sinclair, I was been let down by third-party back-office suppliers and recognise the damage they can do to your reputation. As long as all my candidates are paid on time, I have no complaints. The Sinclair account is managed by Sales Director, Leo Pereira who has become actively involved in the altruistic element of the company as well as the purely commercial side. Leo shares Keith’s passion for football and even played for the Sinclair team in a six-a- side fundraising tournament in 2019.
Kelly was always lingering in the background, and I decided to give her the opportunity to work with us when we started the business from the ground up. We met over a coffee, and there has never been an issue since. The whole back-office team also work hard to ensure that all our contractors are paid without fail every Friday, even if there might be an issue with late timesheets. Kay is also fantastic in the Customer Services team, and they all bend over backwards to take away any problems from my desk no matter what the time of day.
Quite apart from being cheaper for our drivers, using DASA means our drivers are not just treated as a number. The whole team in the office are very helpful, especially Kay and Donus, who are both fantastic. They always respond immediately should there ever be an issue and always make sure that everyone is paid on time, even when we are working to tight deadlines, such as over Christmas. They always go above and beyond to get the job done
“We trust DASA Umbrella to manage the payroll on behalf of many of our public sector council contractors, and they have become an integral element of our worker supply chain. Unity Recruitment is an expanding recruitment agency brand, and we need to be confident that all our professional suppliers are both fully compliant and ethical in their business dealings with us. We have regular meetings to ensure that the needs of our contractors are being met, and also to manage all facets of our commercial relationship. It is a pleasure to work with the DASA team and to witness their growth at first hand.”
Frequently Asked Questions
How do umbrella companies work?
The umbrella company becomes the official employer for contractors, temporary workers and freelancers who work inside the IR35 regulations. The company assumes responsibility for the bureaucratic work of sending invoices, calculating PAYE tax, managing timesheets, NI contributions, collecting payments & more.
This simplifies the paperwork associated with contracting, easing workers’ focus on what they are paid to do while ensuring that they receive their dues within a reasonable timeframe.
Why choose an umbrella company?
An umbrella service gives you legal employee status and handles all the paperwork. It’s the simplest solution for most contractors, with no unexpected tax bills and because you have one continuous employment it’s much easier to secure important things like loans and mortgages too.
Is it worth using an umbrella company?
If your contract falls inside the IR35 legislation, it is likely to be the only alternative solution to PAYE direct engagement with your end-client or recruitment agency.
An umbrella company is ideal for short term contracts or your first foray into the world of contracting. Staying with the same umbrella company gives you a continuous employment record and the right to statutory employment benefits.
Am I classed as self-employed if I use an umbrella company?
No. Although you may be regarded as a contractor or freelancer both your employment and tax status, is that of an employee of the umbrella company. This is in contrast to a worker who operates as a sole trader or through a limited company (outside IR35).
Are umbrella companies regulated?
All umbrella companies must comply with tax and employment laws. An independent organisation – the FCSA (Freelancer & Contractor Services Association), accredits compliant umbrella companies and promotes best practices.
DASA Umbrella is also a current Professional Passport Approved umbrella company in the UK.
Will I be entitled to statutory benefits using an umbrella company?
Yes, as well as being entitled to holiday pay, if necessary, you can claim Statutory Sick Pay. You will also be entitled to Statutory Maternity or Paternity Pay as appropriate. The National Insurance Contributions you make will help secure other state benefits including the State Retirement Pension.
What the April 2026 umbrella company changes did mean for contractors?
From 6 April 2026, new rules called Joint and Several Liability (JSL) are requiring that recruitment agencies must share the responsibility for PAYE that is unpaid if an umbrella company is not paying correctly to HMRC. For contractors, this is meaning that agencies now have strong reason to work only with umbrella providers that are fully accredited.
If you use an umbrella like DASA that is approved by FCSA and Professional Passport, this is protecting you and also your agency from risk of compliance.
What is the Fair Work Agency and it is affecting umbrella contractors?
The Fair Work Agency was launched in April 2026 and it is the single body in UK for enforcement of workers rights. It is overseeing compliance of National Minimum Wage, holiday pay, and also the standards of employment agencies. If your umbrella company is not paying you correctly or is not meeting its obligations, then the Fair Work Agency is the body you should contact.
DASA Umbrella is in full compliance with all the standards of Fair Work Agency.
How the dual accreditation of DASA Umbrella is protecting contractors?
DASA is holding accreditation from two organisations — the FCSA (which is Freelancer and Contractor Services Association) and also Professional Passport. These are two independent bodies that are doing audits of umbrella companies against standards of strict compliance. Very few providers of umbrella in UK are holding both of these. This dual accreditation is meaning that your payroll is processed in correct way, your rights are being protected, and your agency is also protected under the JSL rules of April 2026.
