How much are Umbrella Company costs?
The important thing to remember is that umbrella company fees will vary from company to company, however, they start from around the £25 – 30 figure each week.
If you use minimal services from an umbrella company, you can expect to pay the minimum fee. In contrast, a contractor that takes advantage of a range of additional services from the umbrella company will usually pay more for these.
As well as the amount you pay, it’s also important to understand how the umbrella company charges their fees, as this can also impact how much you end up paying.
How does an umbrella company charge its fees?
There are two main ways that the umbrella company can charge their fees, including:
- As a fixed fee: this is a set fee taken from the contractor’s fee
- As a percentage: this is when the fee is worked out as a percentage of the contractor’s earnings
Often, the percentage fee option can be worse for the contractor, meaning that if the contractor begins to earn more, they will pay more in fees to the company. Therefore, it's always important to look at how the umbrella company charges its fees.
Another thing to consider when comparing umbrella costs is whether the company charges their fees as net or gross fees.
- Gross fees: when an umbrella company charges a gross fee, the contractor is charged the fee prior to tax relief being applied
- Net fees: when an umbrella company charges net fees, however, the contractor is charged the fee one tax relief has been charged
Clearly, this can also have a significant impact on how much the contractor will pay in fees, so this is also important to look out for when comparing costs.