Why FCSA Accreditation Matters More Than Ever in 2026
April 2026 brought three significant regulatory changes to the contractor supply chain at once. All three matter. Together, they’ve fundamentally changed what compliance means. Joint and several liability came into force on 6th April, making recruitment agencies directly liable for unpaid PAYE where their umbrella company partners fail. The Fair Work Agency launched on the…
JSL Is Live: What Agencies Must Do Now
The 6th April 2026 deadline has passed. Joint and several liability for umbrella company PAYE is no longer a coming change. It’s here. From this date, HMRC can pursue recruitment agencies directly for unpaid PAYE and National Insurance contributions when an umbrella company in their supply chain fails to account for them correctly. Approximately 30,000…
Diligence Hub Extends 360° Circle of Trust to Banking and Financial Services with New Compliance Dashboard
Diligence Hub, the compliance platform developed by FCSA, has launched a Financial Services Compliance Dashboard that gives banks, capital lenders, and financial institutions direct oversight of compliance risk across the recruitment portfolios they finance. The dashboard arrives ahead of Joint and Several Liability (JSL) legislation taking effect on 6 April 2026, which makes organisations within…
Marvel Payroll achieves FCSA Accreditation
The Freelancer and Contractor Services Association (FCSA) has welcomed Marvel Payroll as its latest Accredited Member, following successful completion of FCSA’s rigorous independent compliance assessment. Marvel Payroll, which provides umbrella employment services to contractors and recruitment agencies across the UK, has demonstrated full compliance with the FCSA Codes of Compliance, the most comprehensive compliance standard…
MTD for Income Tax: What Umbrella Workers Need to Know
Making Tax Digital (MTD) for Income Tax is expanding, and if you’re a contractor with income beyond your umbrella payslip, you need to understand what’s coming. The short version: if your total income from self-employment or property exceeds the MTD threshold, you’ll need to keep digital records and submit quarterly updates to HMRC, regardless of…
CIS Changes: Losing Gross Payment Status Just Got Harder to Fix
If you hold Gross Payment Status (GPS) under the Construction Industry Scheme, the margin for error just got smaller. Changes to CIS compliance taking effect in 2026 tighten the rules around GPS eligibility, increase HMRC’s powers to revoke it, and make reapplication harder if you lose it. For construction contractors and intermediaries who depend on…
Fair Work Agency: Compliance Means Worker Rights Too
Until now, tax compliance and worker rights operated as separate concerns, enforced by different bodies. From April 2026, the Fair Work Agency brings them together under a single enforcement framework. For recruitment agencies, this changes the conversation. Your umbrella partner doesn’t just need to get PAYE right. They need to get holiday pay, statutory sick…
Joint and Several Liability Is Here: What Recruitment Agencies Must Do Before 6 April
From 6 April 2026, the rules governing how recruitment agencies interact with umbrella companies change fundamentally. Under new umbrella company joint and several liability provisions, agencies become directly liable for unpaid PAYE and National Insurance contributions where an umbrella company in their supply chain fails to account for them correctly. Where no agency exists in…
Thrivr Joins FCSA as a New Business Partner
We’re pleased to welcome Thrivr to the FCSA Business Partner community. Built specifically for the contingent and contractor workforce, Thrivr gives umbrella companies and payroll providers a branded daily touchpoint for their workers. It integrates with existing platforms and payroll portals, and scales as the business grows. It’s a platform designed with the contractor’s experience…
The Make Work Pay Consultation Closes 1 May: The Industry Must Have Its Say
The government’s consultation on modernising the agency work regulatory framework, published by the Department for Business and Trade on 6 February 2026 under the Make Work Pay agenda, closes on 1 May 2026. What is on the table could reshape the regulatory architecture of the UK’s temporary labour market. The industry has until that date…