At PL@N:IT we believe that contractor care and our relationships with staff out on assignment is of paramount importance. Every contractor out working is an ambassador for us and if they are not happy for any reason this may be reflected in the quality of their work.

Every contractor's progress is checked by regular telephone contact and backed up by quarterly site visits with the agreement of the client.

Contractors are normally paid fortnightly or monthly. Payment is made directly into the contractors account by B.A.C.S providing them with accessible funds 2 days after the payroll (see payroll information).

We can provide contractors with a range of accountancy advice, from the selection of an accountant to the setting up of limited companies. All contractors are engaged either as P.A.Y.E individuals or via a Limited company. We also advise our contractors to have their own professional indemnity cover as well as the PI cover PL@N:IT has in place giving everyone peace of mind (see accountancy information).

Current contractors

Payroll information

Running the Payroll

We process a payroll every Wednesday on an online banking system, which sends BACS (bank automated clearing system) payments directly to yours, your limited company's or your umbrella company's account.

These payments take two working days to clear into your account so the payments made on a Wednesday will clear on the Friday.

The key to getting paid on time, every time, is signed timesheets!

The only record of a contractor's hours we can accept as valid is a PL@N:IT timesheet (or equivalent as agreed with the client) signed by an authorised signatory.

Timesheets must be submitted no later than TUESDAY lunchtime for them to be paid on Wednesday. We do accept faxed copies of timesheets provided the originals follow in the post.

Our timesheets come in three parts, a blue copy, white copy and pink copy; the pink copy is for you to keep, the blue and white copies are for us (the blue copy we keep for our records and the white copy is attached to the invoice we send to the client).

For Limited or Umbrella Company contractors, invoices relating to the timesheets also need to be submitted by the Tuesday lunchtime.

If you are not able to submit your signed timesheets by that time for whatever reason, you must let us know in advance, we can then try to find a solution to the problem, we always try our best to pay our contractors on time.

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Accountancy information

Information for new Contractors starting with PL@N:IT

As a new contractor working through PL@N:IT , you will need to supply us with certain information to enable us to complete your registration:

PAYE Contractors

If you operate as a PAYE contractor with PL@N:IT , you are on our company payroll. This means we deduct your Income tax and National Insurance for you and pay your net wages straight into your bank account.

We also provide you with a payslip every time we process a payment for you and a P45 when you finish your contract and leave the company.

When you start a contract with us you will need to provide us with:

• Your National Insurance number – if you are not able to supply us with your NI number for whatever reason, our payroll system will provide you with a temporary one. This does not replace your existing number and does not affect your tax or NI in any way. The temporary number can be replaced with your actual NI number at any time.
• Part 2 and 3 of a P45 – a P45 is only relevant if it applies to work done in the current tax year (the tax year runs from 6 th April to 5 th April). If you do not have a P45 for the current tax year i.e. you haven't worked since the start of the tax year, you have lost the relevant P45 or you never received one from your previous employment; we will provide you with a P46 for you to sign and return to us, you will then be temporarily placed on the standard emergency tax code until we have had notification from the Inland Revenue of your correct code.
• Your Bank Details – there are PDF and Word format bank details forms that can be downloaded, filled in and returned to us, either via email or by post. For very short contracts it is often easier to pay by cheque. The details usually take two working days to become active on the bank system therefore the earlier we receive your bank details the better.

That's all you have to do! However if you have any issues with the tax code you are on or the amount of tax you are paying, you must speak to your tax office about it, we cannot deal with for you because it is your personal tax. We will be informed about by the Inland Revenue about any changes that are made.

Once set up, all you need to do is send in your signed timesheets by the Tuesday of the week you are being paid and we do the rest!

Limited Company Contractors

As a Limited Company contractor, you are responsible for your own tax and NI (Employees and Employers) contributions. You raise invoices for your gross wages which we pay directly into your limited company account. If you work as a Limited Company through an umbrella company, they may raise your invoices for you.

Working as a Limited Company contractor through PL@N:IT, you will need to provide us with:

• Certificates – a copy of your Certificate of Incorporation and a copy of your Certificate of Registration for VAT (not applicable if you aren't VAT registered) for our records.
• Invoices – whenever you send any timesheets, there needs to be an invoice to accompany them. The invoice can cover any period of time i.e. an invoice per week or one per fortnight/month. Ideally an invoice would contain the following information:
  • Details of the limited company such as name, address, bank details, company registration number and VAT number (if applicable).
  • A reference number and date.
  • Name of the contractor and contractor position title.
  • Details of the number of hours/days, hourly/daily rate, the net, VAT (if applicable) and gross amounts.

We have a Word template of a sample invoice that can be downloaded and used if you are unsure how best to set yours out. Please don't hesitate to contact us if you have any questions.

• Bank Details – We have a Word format bank details form that can be downloaded to be filled in and returned to us, either by post or via email. The bank details take two working days to become active on the bank system.
• Timesheets – Invoices don't mean very much without signed timesheets to back them up!

Umbrella Company Contractors

The payment cycle changes slightly if you are an Umbrella Company contractor because we don't pay you directly. We pay your gross wages (before any income tax and NI contributions have been deducted) to the Umbrella Company; they then run their own payroll to deduct your tax and NI contributions and pay your net wages to your bank account (which will take two further working days to clear into your account). This means that you won't receive your pay until the Tuesday of the following week as opposed to the Friday.

When you start work as an Umbrella Company contractor through us, we ask you to provide the following information:

• Umbrella Company details – when we receive the information from you, we will contact your Umbrella Company to get you set up for payments. As we make payments to them, we don't need your own bank details.
• Timesheets – you will need to send copies of your timesheets to both us, and your Umbrella Company so they can raise an invoice for you that they send to us. Unfortunately we can't pay you until we have received an invoice from your company.

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Invoice Layout Advice

The invoice should be headed by the company name (or logo) and address, company number and VAT number (if applicable, you need only register for VAT if your earnings for the tax year are going to exceed £56,000 or if you are going to exceed that limit in the next 30 days). The invoice should also be dated and preferably have a numbering system for the benefit of record keeping by both your company and PL@N:IT.

In the main body of the invoice you need:

• Your name
• The hours/days you have worked (you can break down the hours/days into weeks i.e. weekending dd/mm/yy to match the timesheets; or have one total and have period dates i.e. period dd/mm/yy-dd/mm/yy).
• Your hourly rate if you have more than one rate (i.e. overtime rates) it is best to separate out the hours/days for the different rates.
• The Net amount (the number of hours multiplied by the hourly rate, or the number of days multiplied by the daily rate)
• The VAT amount if applicable
• The Gross amount (the net amount plus the VAT amount, if you are not VAT registered the net and gross amount would be the same value).

Click here for an example invoice template

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Timesheet Advice

Please ensure the timesheet is filled in properly (i.e. full name and client name are essential) as it is an official document, a copy of which will be attached to the invoices that PL@N:IT send to the client.

 The timesheet MUST also be signed by an authorised person in order for payment to be made.

Monthly time sheet template | Weekly time sheet template

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New contractors

FAQ

1: How do I register with Pl@nit?
2: What information do I need to provide?
3: Do I have to pay to register with Pl@nit?
4: How will I be kept informed of suitable job opportunities?
5. What happens when I go for an interview?
6: Am I eligible to undertake temporary work for Pl@nit?
7: What do I need to know about health and safety when I am a contractor for Pl@nit?

1. How do I register with Pl@nit?

Step 1
Contact us directly, or submit your personal details on-line.

Step 2
We will speak with you to discuss your experience, aspirations, and to register your details, in keeping with our candidate charter.

2. What information do I need to provide?

A copy of your current CV is essential. We provide advice on writing an effective CV. If you're seeking temporary work you'll need to provide any one of the following:

• A document from a previous employer, the Inland Revenue, the Benefits Agency, the Contributions Agency or the Employment Service showing your name and NI number.
• A passport confirming you are either a British Citizen or a European Economic Area national, or which shows you are otherwise entitled to live and work in the UK .
• A birth certificate confirming birth in the UK or Republic of Ireland .
• A letter from the Home Office confirming you're allowed to work in the UK .

For more information on eligibility to work in the UK , go to www.homeoffice.gov.uk

3. Do I have to pay to register with Pl@nit?

There is no fee payable by job seekers for our service.

4. How will I be kept informed of suitable job opportunities?

When you register with Pl@nit, your consultant will spend time establishing your key priorities and the type of permanent or temporary role you're looking for. They will discuss suitable open vacancies with you at this time and thereafter call or e-mail you (according to your preference ) with additional opportunities.

We'll explore every avenue available to us to find you a suitable position within your timescales. As we'll be working actively on your behalf, it's important that you stay in regular contact to inform us if your circumstances, availability or priorities have changed.

5. What happens when I go for an interview?

Once we've arranged an interview with a company for you to attend, we'll provide you with as much information as possible about the job and the company. You can also refer to our online guide.

Following an interview, call your consultant to let them know how you got on. We'll then speak to the company to gather their feedback. This information will help us to either secure the role on your behalf or modify and continue our search for work on your behalf.

6. What do I need to know about health & safety when I'm temping?

Our candidate charter confirms our commitment to treat all candidates with respect and to act in your best interests. PL@N:IT therefore takes reasonable steps to ensure your health, safety and welfare whilst visiting our offices and working on our clients' (the Host Employer) premises.

PL@N:IT has a responsibility to pass on all relevant information provided by the client on any qualifications and skills you will need in order to do the job safely and to make you aware of any health and safety issues related to the booking. Select aims to satisfy itself that the health and safety arrangements at the client's site are adequate.

Useful Links

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References

Patricia Vice:

"PlanIt were recommended to me as an agency by a colleague of mine when I was coming to the end of a contract. Having had a pretty torrid time with my then current agents, and having a natural aversion to any profession with the word 'agent' in their job description, I was sceptical. However PlanIt were the only agents at that difficult time in the job market offering positions in my field, and a personal recommendation for a recruitment agency is like gold dust, so I contacted them.

I have never looked back (sorry if that sounds like a soap powder advert!). They placed me in a great job, at a very competitive rate, and I've been with them now close to 3 years. All the staff I've dealt with are always helpful, friendly and exceptionally professional. I know most people won't believe this, but they actually DO put me before making money - a rarity in the profession.

They've supported me through a trying time in the job market, and a difficult patch personally - always quick to respond any requests I may make, putting themselves out to make sure that payments are made on time and correctly, even when I've been late submitting timesheets. I have never had to query one invoice in all this time!

I have gladly recommend them to everyone I know, both prospective employers and employees / contractors and they have never let me down. I won't go as far as saying that I now trust estate agents or travel agents, but I now believe that there are recruitment agents with integrity - a huge turnaround indeed!"

"After receiving very poor service both as a client and as a contractor, I had become very cynical toward the recruitment industry as a whole.

I can honestly say that PL@N:IT has managed to restore my faith in the fact that there is an agency within today's market willing and able to provide a top class recruitment service.

In my opinion, today's recruitment companies are all about the ‘hard sale' and this is painfully obvious when speaking with them. As a manager or a contractor, I need to know; ‘what can you do to help me?', ‘what skill sets do you have available?', 'can you support us through the whole recruitment process?' and 'is your pricing structure reasonable?' - PL@N:IT has consistently exceeded my expectations within all of these areas and managed to add a personal touch that is desperately lacking in today's market.

After spending time in the UK and Europe I have never received this level of service from a recruitment agency and therefore will continue to recommend PL@N:IT to my colleagues and associates.

It is refreshing to work with a recruitment company that is professional, trustworthy and realistic in their approach."

Phil Williams

"I have worked for Plan-IT on several occasions and as a network engineer with 10 years city based experience I have found Plan-IT to be excellent in every respect. I have dealt with numerous agencies over the years and none match their thorough professionalism when dealing with contractors needs. Regular contact and support from them is what makes all the difference for both contractor and client requirements. I wouldn't hesitate in recommending them at all."

Penny Heron:

"I started working for PlanIt back in November 2001 and it has been a real pleasure to work for such a professional agency. The whole team has supported me through every step of the way, from the interview to getting the job and doing the job.

If you are looking for a dedicated team who care about their staff, PlanIT are the agency for you, they are the best agency I have worked for, they pay on time every time, they are helpful, polite and very understanding.

Sean Kelly:

"I have been working with PL@N:IT on and off for over 3 years now and have found them very professional and easy to work with, and are an agency I have recommended to my friends and colleagues (always a dangerous move).

"I have worked through a few agencies now and found PL@N:IT to be the 'honest boys' of the bunch as far as I can say, unlike other agencies I do not feel like I am getting fleeced for absolutely every penny!