The unfolding coronavirus crisis has had an impact on all aspects of daily life, including on the economy, businesses and workers.
For many of the 1.77 million independent contractors in the UK, contractor jobs will have been lost as a result, with certain industries being hit harder than others.
In light of the pandemic and the temporary booms and busts that have followed, many contractors will consider transferring and applying their skills to fill contractor jobs in other industries. After all, as skilled project workers, contractors are well equipped to adapt their skill sets to suit a range of requirements.
What’s more, with the IR35 legislation being suspended until April 2021, contractors can move freely between different industries without being caught out by the reforms.
In this article, Umbrella Supermarket look at which industries are continuing to hire during the COVID-19 crisis, helping contractors understand where they can transfer their skills and find contractor jobs at this time.
Although some tech companies have been badly hit by the coronavirus pandemic, there are still companies looking to hire, especially in the IT sector. For example, IT tech giants, including the likes of Google, Facebook and Apple are all currently hiring. In fact, in the second week of April alone there was a 31% increase in searches for IT roles.
Following the government’s announcement that they would be delaying the roll out of IR35 legislation, we have seen a surge of tech firms taking on the skills of contractors, with IT contract jobs increasing by 48.27% in Q1 of this year.
So, what areas of the tech industry are currently in highest demand?
This is great news for IT contractors whose skills continue to be in high demand during this difficult time, and is a valuable insight for contractors in other fields looking to develop competitive skill-sets to meet demand in this area.
As demand for healthcare workers has spiked with the current crisis, the NHS are currently on a recruitment drive – having asked 65,000 former doctors and nurses to return to service. What’s more, the number of healthcare roles advertised in the last 2 weeks of March increased by 17%.
Pharmacies are also experiencing a strong demand for workers, with chains such as Lloyds pharmacy currently recruiting around 1500 staff, while the social care sector has experienced 20% higher demand for both permanent and temporary roles.
As well as healthcare contractors, the NHS is also seeking skilled workers in other fields, such as scientists and lab technicians, making this a great opportunity for tons of contractors with a wide range of skills and expertise in other areas.
To keep up with the current surge in food, retail and online orders, transportation and logistics roles are facing high-demand. In fact, transport and logistics jobs were the most in-demand of any jobs in March alone.
While many industries have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, transport and logistics have experienced growth as the UK economy adjusts to changes in lifestyle and demand during the pandemic.
What’s more, there are a range of highly transferable skills contractors can bring to logistics roles - whether you have experience in project management, data analysis or can prove you are a great problem solver, opportunities in the transport and logistics sector are currently ripe.
The food retail sector has experienced huge growth amidst the crisis, with major supermarkets announcing significant hiring plans, offering thousands of permanent and temporary contract jobs. In fact, in March alone supermarket giants advertised 40,000 jobs as demand increased.
As well as requiring front line staff to work on the shop floors, supermarkets are also hiring for various roles in warehouses, delivery and IT - ideal roles to be filled by a range of contractor skills.
As many bricks and mortar shops have had to close their doors, businesses and shoppers have adapted to the world of online shopping.
It’s no surprise that companies such as Amazon have experienced a massive uplift in orders and are looking to hire around 75,000 workers in their distribution centres, warehouses and offices to cope with this demand.
Again, the ecommerce sector is well suited to a wide range of contractor skills, from marketing, web design to project management, and is currently in strong demand for more, temporary workers.
There are currently over 5,000 vacancies in the UK for customer service roles. In fact, companies like Virgin Media are creating 500 new call centre jobs in the UK to meet increased demand.
With both permanent and fixed-term roles available, there are plenty of opportunities for contractors in this area. Whether a contractor has managerial experience or unrivalled problem solving skills, there’s plenty of temporary work to be found in customer service.
Contractors looking to find and secure their next role during the COVID-19 crisis may well be weighing up their options to find the easiest route going forward. From operating under a limited company, umbrella or PAYE, there are several paths contractors can take, each with its own advantages and draw-backs.
For contractors that want to experience the freedom of choosing their next role, with the ease of having their tax returns, admin and paperwork sorted for them, choosing an umbrella company is the best option.
But, not all umbrella companies are the same, which is why Umbrella Supermarket’s super handy comparison tool is a quick and easy way for contractors to find the best umbrella company for their needs. Umbrella Supermarket lets contractors compare the best umbrella companies in just 2 minutes, meaning they can get on with the important stuff.
Any contractor considering switching to an umbrella company will want to know how to find the best provider to work with.
Although you could spend your precious time and energy searching the web for the best umbrella company, there is an easier way – using an umbrella calculator.
In this guide, Umbrella Supermarket explains why every contractor should use an umbrella calculator in 2021.
If you are considering contracting you will need to decide on PAYE or umbrella.
It can be a difficult decision to make and contractors will inevitably be questioning which option will be the best for them.
To help every contractor get on the right track for them, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket looks at PAYE vs umbrella, outlining the key differences and how this will impact you.
There are many reasons that contractors across the UK opt to work under an umbrella company.
Umbrella companies offer an easy way to contract and remove the need for the contractors to worry about the burdens of admin, finances, tax and IR35, all things that limited company contractors have to deal with.
For this reason, many contractors will be weighing up their options and questioning whether it is worth using an umbrella company in 2021. To help make the decision that little bit easier, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this guide on the pros and cons of using an umbrella company.
Any contractor that is considering operating through an umbrella company in 2021 will need to understand Umbrella Company fees - from why an umbrella company charges fees, how they are paid to how much the contractor will pay.
In this guide, Umbrella Supermarket answers those all-important questions to help every contractor know exactly where they stand when it comes to umbrella company fees.
If you’ve made the decision to contract through an umbrella company in 2021, you will next need to find an umbrella company that’s right for you.
After all, there are lots of umbrella companies out there, so how do you know which one to choose?
To help you find the best umbrella company for you, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket outlines what makes a good umbrella company, so you can rest assured you’re making the right move.
One of the many advantages to operating through an umbrella company for contractors is that they become an employee of their chosen provider.
In turn, this means that the contractor will be automatically enrolled onto the umbrella company’s workplace pension scheme.
To help contractors find out more about umbrella company pensions Umbrella Supermarket has put together this handy guide.
If you are considering contracting through an umbrella company you will naturally have questions and queries over how they work.
After all, making the move to umbrella can be a big step for contractors. To help, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket explains how to get started with an umbrella company and share our top tips for using one in 2021.
PAYE or umbrella is a question asked by every contractor. Which one you opt for will have a big impact on your contracting career and lifestyle. So, it's important to make the right decision for you.
To help makes things a little bit easier, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this guide on PAYE or umbrella, outlining the key differences between each, to help you make the best and most informed decision for you.
One of the many benefits to working through an umbrella company is that you will receive holiday pay as well as a range of other statutory benefits including sick pay, maternity and paternity pay.
To find out more about umbrella company holiday pay, and how to calculate how much you will be entitled to, Umbrella Supermarket has put together this handy guide.
Contractors must make several decisions throughout their contracting careers. One big decision contractors have to make is how they will operate.
One way that contractors can work is through an umbrella company.
Umbrella companies have become an increasingly popular way to contract in the past few years, offering many benefits to the contractor. But, how do you know whether this option is right for you?
To help every contractor make the right decision for them, in this guide, Umbrella Supermarket explains when not to use an umbrella company.
There are tons of benefits to using an umbrella company, which is why they have become such a popular option for contractors in recent years.
After all, an umbrella company takes away the stress and hassle of operating through a limited company whilst offering contractors a range of advantages, such as statutory rights, paying them a salary, deducting correct tax levels and National Insurance, and taking care of tasks like expense processing and invoicing.
However, as more and more contractors opt to use the services of an umbrella company, more providers have started to claim that they are HMRC approved.
To bust the myths around HMRC approved umbrella companies and get straight to the facts, in today's guide Umbrella Supermarket look at whether HMRC approved umbrella companies really exist, so you know exactly where you stand.
If you're considering making the leap to contracting, you will understandably want to know how much you will have to pay in umbrella company costs. After all, this amount comes directly out of the contractor’s pocket, so it’s important to be clued up on how much you should expect to pay.
To help contractors, in this guide Umbrella Supermarket answer the all-important question of how umbrella companies cost in 2021.
