Self Employed Vs Agency Working

[Iggle Piggle]

I'm working through an agency and a payroll firm on a flexi time contract. Can anybody give me pointers whether it would be better to chop out the agency and be self employed? Pros and cons?
cheers.

[pixie373]

My vote is for self-employed. My sister and i worked for an agency and left to go self-employed. Pros- get paid 4x more, can choose what we do and when, much better service. No cons that we have found. What area do you work in? And are there any limitations on your contract about going into competition with the agency you're with? If that's what you're doing.

[black_cat51]

are you going to work for more than 1 employer?

[Iggle Piggle]

Hi Pixie, I'm basically an office worker at the moment but am multi skilled and can turn my hand to many job positions - so feel self employment may open doors otherwise closed to me. Also my contract may not last all that long so I'm looking to cover myself. A self employed person can still take a 9-5 job can't they?

[pixie373]

Yes - it just means you need to register and sort out your own tax. I would highly recommend it. I wouldn't want to go back to an employer now.

[black_cat51]

i'm not sure
have a look here:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employment-status/index.htm#1
if you work a set amount of hours for one employer, i don't think you can be SE

[Maydup]

I'd be concerned about getting work as a self employed office worker. Offices use agencies for temps but can't necessarily risk using a self employed person.

Two reasons - one, if the work was in any way regular it would be classed as PAYE and secondly, if they want half a dozen people they can go to the one place rather than keep a bank of self employed people on hand.

Since you're uncertain, you'd be best to stay with the agency.

[inksplotter]

I was at ODesk and made a bit of money freelance. I'm now at Elance and the pay is better. But you do have to pay a bit at the beginning.

(Other freelance websites are available)

[inksplotter]

Some money funds Elance.

[pixie373]

You can, blackcat, if you're registered. Many people do. Yes, that is a point that you have to find your own work. We're turning it down left, right and centre- so not necessarily a problem.

[buildersmate]

Gentlemen. There is more to this than any of you have mentioned.
To be self-employed, you have to be able to demonstrate you are operating under a contract for services. This very simply means you are made a fixed sum of money for delivery of a defined service. Another that smacks of an hourly rate of pay for a job won't hack it with HMRC. Under an employment contract one has what is called a contract of service.
There's are a range of checks you can do to test whether it is likely you are SELF or not - one of them relates to the number of clients being greater than 1.

[boxtops]

BM - yes, our payroll department also checks (if people say they are SE) whether they have the ability under their contract to determine when and where they do the work, etc.