SmartWork

Most contractors haven't heard about the government's consultation on zero-hours and guaranteed hours reforms, which closes on 25 August 2026.

We've put together a straightforward guide covering what's being proposed, whom it affects, and what it means for umbrella contractors in practice.

Read the full article. 👇

The government's consultation on zero-hours and guaranteed hours reforms closes on 25 August 2026.

If you work through an umbrella company on variable-hours assignments, this could affect you. And most contractors haven't heard about it yet.

Here's what's being proposed in plain English:

A right to guaranteed hours after a 12-week reference period
A right to reasonable notice of shifts
Compensation for short-notice cancellations

The good news: SmartWork's overarching employment contract already provides continuity of employment and statutory protections that many of these proposals are designed to create.

Our workers are already ahead of the curve.

We've put together a straightforward guide covering what's being proposed, who it affects, and what it means for umbrella contractors in practice.

Read the full article. Link in the comments. 👇

Salary sacrifice is one of the most tax-efficient tools available to umbrella contractors, but it's also one of the most misunderstood.

Here's the short version:

Instead of receiving your full gross pay and then paying tax and National Insurance on it, you agree to sacrifice a portion of your salary into your pension before those deductions are calculated.

That means you pay less Income Tax and less National Insurance.

In 2026/27, the numbers look like this:

Basic rate taxpayer: saving approximately 32p for every £1 sacrificed

Higher rate taxpayer: saving approximately 42p for every £1 sacrificed

There are rules to understand: the NMW floor (£12.71/hour in 2026/27), the annual pension allowance (£60,000), and the impact on statutory benefits such as SSP and SMP.

And there's a future change worth planning for: from April 2029, the NIC exemption on salary-sacrificed pension contributions will be capped at £2,000 per year.

SmartWork offers salary sacrifice. If you haven't looked at this yet, mid-year is the right time to start.

We've published a full guide on the blog; link in the comments. 👇

Or speak to your SmartWork business manager directly.

If you work through an umbrella company, continuity of employment is one of the most powerful benefits available to you.

And most contractors don't realise it.

It affects your ability to get a mortgage.
It determines your statutory rights at work.
It protects you if an assignment ends unexpectedly.

With the Employment Rights Act 2025 now in force, those protections are significantly stronger:

Unfair dismissal protection after just six months (down from two years)
Clearer, itemised payslips with full fee transparency
Stronger redundancy and parental safeguards
A new enforcement route through the Fair Work Agency

We've updated our guide to continuity of employment to reflect all of these changes. Whether you're new to umbrella working or a seasoned contractor, it's worth a read.

Link in the comments.