Qdos On an Agency Wavelength www.qdoscontractor.com
Qdos Agency Enquiries agency@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0999 Sales sales@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0999 Consultancy contracts@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0992 www.qdoscontractor.com
Contents Overview 1 Qdos Agency Support 2 Contractor Toolkit Why Get Involved? 3 4 Contract Endorsement 5 IR35 Contractor Support 6 Contractor Insurance 7 Contractor Weekly / IR35 Buddy 8 agency@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0999
Qdos Overview Qdos was set up back in 1988 by ex-revenue inspectors and has shown significant growth over the past two decades. Today the Qdos Group has a number of divisions, each concentrating on a specific field, providing expert business services, products and advice. Qdos Contractor specialises in advice and insurance for UK-based freelancers and contractors, and boasts extensive knowledge and expertise of any contractor issue including tax and the IR35 legislation. Qdos Contractor has been working with contractors for over a decade, providing IR35 advice, insurance and consultancy services since the legislation s implementation back in 2000. The team has grown over the past ten years, with experienced specialists providing continuing support and services to UK contractors on a daily basis. Qdos has handled over 1,300 IR35 enquiries on behalf of contractors, saving them over 35m in tax. As well as this essential insight into IR35, Qdos also provide a wide range of contractor insurance policies from a revolutionary full IR35 insurance to low-cost business insurance (Professional Indemnity, Employers & Public Liability) specifically tailored around the needs and potential risks for contractors. The company has recently become pro-active in aiding partners and affiliates, namely within the recruitment and agency market. Bespoke services for UK recruiters, consisting of tools, services and opportunities crucial to successful compliance, benefiting both the recruiter and the candidate. Qdos Consulting Limited and Qdos Status Services Limited are appointed representatives of Qdos Broker & Underwriting Services Limited which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. Steve Greenwell Chairman 1 1 www.qdoscontractor.com
Qdos Agency Support Our dedicated and specialist recruitment support teams are working with a number of professional staffing agencies, offering bespoke services benefiting both the recruiter and the candidate. As specialists in IR35, we provide an unparalleled proposition designed to ensure agency compliance and ease the burden of IR35 for your contractors. Our aim is to elevate the profile and reputation of recruitment agencies, introducing the concept of self-regulation. Securing compliance has never been easier, and we have created an unmissable opportunity for recruitment agencies nationwide, providing unique services with a no cost guarantee. Qdos is offering an agency proposition consisting of tools, services and opportunities crucial to successful compliance. The services are free for both the agency and the contractor, with additional access to discounted low cost business insurance. Endorsed IR35 Contract As a recognised authority on IR35, we can give your standard contracts a seal of approval along with a certificate highlighting the positive clauses which you can send out to contractors at the same time as the contract. This will negate the need for contractors to obtain lengthy and expensive contract reviews before they sign the agreement. 2 Free IR35 Helpline Trained professionals are available to answer questions and queries as well as available IR35 guides and advice for your contractors and clients should they need it. IR35 Training Qdos IR35 specialists provide in-depth training for recruitment agencies. Access to Low Cost Business Insurance Most contracts these days require contractors to hold specific business insurance such as Professional Indemnity. We can offer a co-branded version of our online shop which your contractors can use. All maintenance and administration is dealt with in-house by Qdos, or alternatively, you can simply refer your contractors to Qdos when insurance is required. There is no obligation to use either the shop or referral scheme; however, Qdos do offer a commission on purchases and/or discounts to your contractors. This will give you peace of mind that your contractors have the appropriate insurance in place. Access to a Dedicated Support Team Our National Accounts Manager and support team will be there for you every step of the way Promote Contract Roles & Positions to Over 25,000 Contractors Qdos Jobs Board allows recruiters to access the database via promotions of their contracts. A weekly newsletter is issued with the top five current contract roles featuring on the board. Promotional Tools Qdos can create a toolkit and other material for issuing to your contractors so that you can provide them with the information they need to access all of the benefits you have made available to them. Please see an example on the next page. agency@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0999 2
Qdos Contractor Toolkit As well as specialising in the IR35 legislation and having successfully handled over 1,300 enquiries, Qdos also provide a wide range of insurance policies including Employers and Public Liability at highly competitive premiums for contractors in the oil and gas industry. Qdos has an advanced online shop system, meaning that you can get immediate cover and documents issued within minutes. FREE Access to IR35 Helpline & IR35 Guides As a Your Company Name client, you have access to a free IR35 helpline should you have any questions about the legislation, or have had any correspondence from HMRC. Please remember to state that you are a Your Company Name client. IR35 Helpline: 0116 2690 992 There are also free guides and templates available for your convenience. For further IR35 guidance please visit IR35Buddy. IR35Buddy is a selection of tools to assist genuinely self employed contractors to evidence their status. FREE Working Practices Review You have already been issued with an IR35 compliant contract alongside this document; the next step is to ensure that your working practices are compliant. To have your working practices reviewed, please follow the link below and complete the FREE online questionnaire. On completion of the questionnaire, a full written report will be provided and a Qdos specialist will be in touch to discuss. QUESTIONNAIRE Discounted Insurance Products You may have insurances stipulated within your contract (please refer to the contract s endorsement certificate for details). These insurances not only protect you but can also be used to bolster your IR35 status. In HMRC s Business Entity Test, holding Professional Indemnity Insurance is worth two points. We have created discount codes that will provide you with 7.5% off the standard price of Qdos business insurance (Professional Indemnity, Employers and Public Liability) plus 10% off the standard price of Qdos tax insurance (Tax Liability Cover, Freelancer Tax Protection). Access to Dedicated Qdos Account Manager For further additional support, advice and guidance regarding IR35 or business insurance, please contact your dedicated account manager Account Manager. 3 www.qdoscontractor.com Qdos IR35 APPROVED CONTRACTS Qdos Account Manager Telephone: 0116 2690 992 Email: agency@qdoscontractor.com
Why Get Involved? The complexity of the IR35 legislation is not something recruitment agencies want to be dealing with, but unfortunately it is something that will inevitably involve them and it is obviously extremely important to contractors. Although contractors are ultimately responsible for ensuring their employment status, having compliant contractors creates a happy working environment all round with less worries and stress to the contractor, which ultimately will help them work more efficiently for the end client. Showing your own duty of care to your contractors by offering them advice and guidance and to show your understanding of their needs for IR35 compliancy, will also attract more contractors and in turn, clients. As an agency, you have two sides to look after, the PSC and the client. A lot of contractors will turn to their agency for advice, particularly if they are just starting out. Having Qdos on board will alleviate this responsibility from you to give you more time to do what you do best. Any help that an agency can provide to a contractor to assist them in their plight in ultimately winning an IR35 enquiry can only reflect well on them. The freelancer is likely to want to use that agency in securing future work and will also share their favourable experience with their counterparts who, in turn, may seek to be added to the database of that agency. So whilst IR35 may not be your problem, your helping hand could go a long way. Would you like to take advantage of a variety of free resources which will benefit your business? Would you like to show your contractor candidates that you understand their needs for an IR35 compliant contract? Would you like to offer your contractors a discount for their compulsory insurances or receive a commission for referring them at no cost to your business? Would you like to promote your roles to an extensive database of UK contractors in a variety of sectors? Would you like to raise your profile and reputation in the market and see increased candidate numbers as you become known for quick, conscientious and compliant recruitment? Would you like your staff trained in IR35 by recognised experts? Would you like your consultants to be rewarded for referring contractors to Qdos with our Amazon voucher incentive scheme? We have worked with Qdos since the first rumblings of IR35 and have continually benefited from their extensive experience and knowledge. Hundreds of our contractor clients have used them for both IR35 advice and business insurance and we value our relationship with them highly. agency@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0999 4
Qdos Contract Endorsement Having handled over 1,300 status enquiries on behalf of contractors, Qdos is one of the UK s leading specialists in the IR35 legislation. Contracts are reviewed by an experienced and dedicated team of IR35 experts with a wealth of knowledge of the legislation and are available to discuss the results if required. In order for a contractor to ensure they are operating outside of IR35, they will want to have a contract and working practices review which will highlight any IR35-related issues. Whist this is being reviewed, the agency has to wait for a response from the contractor before they can go ahead and finalise deals, thus getting increasing pressure from clients to get contractors engaged in a contract. Where the recruitment agency has a compliant contract already in place, contractors will be saved the money and hassle of getting a contract review beforehand. The recruitment agency will be able to get the contract signed faster, with the contractor on site and working much quicker, resulting in more satisfied end clients. Contractors will also see the recruitment agency as taking a responsibility and care for their candidates which is likely to increase repeat use of the agency and increased candidate numbers as the word spreads. Qdos can review your standard contracts for IR35 and if it passes (whether first time or following subsequent amendments) we will issue you with a Qdos-approved contract certificate confirming that the contract is IR35 compliant, also highlighting the important positive clauses. Your contractors will then have access to our free working practices questionnaire should they also wish to have these reviewed as well. 5 www.qdoscontractor.com
IR35 Contractor Support Qdos has a dedicated team of consultants with years of experience in dealing with IR35, completing over 500 contract reviews each month. This specialist team can offer your contractors the support they need, offering advice as and when they need it via phone or email. Your contractors can also have access to a free working practices questionnaire which is the most important aspect of IR35 when determining status. After completion, a member of the consultancy team will contact them to discuss their answers and provide guidance on their status. In addition to this extensive support from IR35 experts, Qdos can also supply a variety of free guides and resources which may be useful to your contractors. With in-house copywriters and design staff, Qdos can operate flexibly with the demands of clients. What IR35 services do Qdos offer to contractors? Contract Reviews We have reviews to suit all needs and budgets but all of our contract review services are completed by an experienced and dedicated team of IR35 experts with a wealth of knowledge of the legislation and are available to discuss the results if required. Options include our basic Contract Assessment, our in-depth Contract Review, the fully comprehensive IR35 Defence Pack and our especially designed Public Sector IR35 Assurance. Insurance Qdos offer two tax insurance policies in order to suit all budgets and requirements, with cover for the legal costs and representation of any HMRC enquiry or our revolutionary full IR35 insurance. See Contractor Insurance for more information. Consultancy Services Qdos has an unrivalled record of defending contractors against IR35 status challenges. Qdos tax specialists can defend contractors enquiries or disputes, giving them the best possible chance of winning. IR35 claims are handled by our own team of ex-revenue inspectors with years of experience, who have successfully defended over 1,300 cases, saving contractors over 35m in tax. On top of this invaluable defence, Qdos can provide a wide variety of consultancy related advice, from employment status issues to the MSC legislation. agency@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0999 6
Qdos Contractor Insurance Over the years, Qdos has grown in both size and status, gaining a reputation as a highly respected contractor insurance broker by sustaining excellent quality and fair premiums in the contractor insurance market. Qdos Contractor has worked hard with their insurers to provide the best premium rates for insurances without compromising on quality. We are now able to offer a version of our online shop to recruitment agencies who wish to offer their contractors an easy and simple way of purchasing their insurances. We can either pay commission on purchases made via the shop or offer discounted insurance products to their contractors. Policies are quick and easy to purchase at competitive premiums, either online or via the phone with one of our experienced consultants and documentation is issued via email within minutes, so you can get proof of cover quickly and efficiently. All purchases through the shop are tracked and maintained via Qdos, there is absolutely no work involved for your business. Qdos can also arrange a simple agreement if a shop is not desired. What policies do Qdos offer? Professional Indemnity and Public & Employers Liability These two policies are most commonly stipulated within contracts so it may be that your standard contracts require these to be held. Qdos offer highly competitive premiums for these policies and intend to keep it that way. Ensure that your contractors are carrying the appropriate insurance by referring them to Qdos. Freelancer Tax Protection & Tax Liability Cover These policies are designed with contractor tax in mind and cover for all types of enquiry. Our tax specialists take care of the claim from day one and liaise with HMRC on their behalf, giving your contractors peace of mind during the period of the enquiry. The Tax Liability Cover is a full IR35 insurance covering the defence all the way through to the liabilities, penalties and fines if the contractor is caught by the legislation. Qdos also offer Jury Service & Legal Protection, Contractor Sickness Cover, Travel Insurance, Office Protect Insurance and Gadget Cover to protect contractors against as many risks as possible. 7 www.qdoscontractor.com
Contractor Weekly IR35 Buddy CW Contractor Weekly is one of the most prominent online newspapers for self-employed professionals in the UK. Providing a wide range of resources to contractors, freelancers and interims, Contractor Weekly has become a must read publication for the UK s flexible workforce. Providing original and expert guidance on matters affecting contractors, from IR35 to the MSC legislation, Contractor Weekly s panel of reporters comprise highly experienced consultants in their respective fields. IR35Buddy is a free online contractor portal which allows contractors to test, plan and certify their compliance with the IR35 legislation using a selection of tools designed to assist genuinely self-employed contractors to evidence their status. Qdos has partnered with IR35Buddy to provide an IR35 Compliance Passport (an in-depth review of a contractor s status) and to also offer an Agency Certification Scheme, allowing your agency priority listing on the IR35Buddy jobs portal. As well as offering free up-to-date news for the contracting profession along with insights into the latest tax/status updates, the site showcases a number of recommended service providers, from contractor accountants to business banking. Contractor Weekly is visited by a growing number of readers, with the site receiving over 20,000 unique page views per month, and just over 22,000 registered contractors signing up, making it one of the most popular sources of contracting information on the web. agency@qdoscontractor.com 0116 269 0999 8
Qdos Contractor Troon Way Business Centre Windsor House Humberstone Lane Thurmaston Leicester LE4 9HA Qdos