Parasol makes 19 new appointments to support demand in line with ‘controversial’ IR35 changes.
Umbrella company increases support for agencies and contractors.
Parasol has recruited 19 new members of staff in recent months in order to strengthen its team to help clients manage the upcoming changes to IR35 regulation. The changes won’t impact contractors working through umbrella companies but will apply to those operating via their own limited companies, with recruitment firms and agencies taking responsibility for ensuring the correct tax code is assigned to each role.
Parasol’s new recruits will play a key role in supporting clients and have taken up a variety of roles within the business and across parent company Optionis Group, which also houses accountancy brands including ClearSky Contractor Accounting, Nixon Williams, SJD Accountancy and First Freelance.
The new positions include a specialist technical commercial manager, Joanne Harris, as well as a new head of key accounts, Clarke Bowles, both of which will play a key role in managing Parasol’s relationships with thousands of recruitment agencies across the UK, providing guidance around compliance on top of other core services.
Other recruits have joined the client services team, marketing department and business development divisions, with the firm expecting increased demand for its services in the coming months in line with the proposed IR35 changes.
Mark Beal-Preston, chief commercial officer at Optionis, explained: “More and more of the recruitment firms and agencies we work with are looking for us to help them navigate some of the complexities around IR35 regulation, with the controversial changes for contractors working in the private sector due to come into force next year.
“These 19 appointments are part of a wider commitment from us to help our clients and Parasol employees – both agencies and contractors themselves – understand what the changes mean in practical terms, and to ensure they know how the new rules will apply to them and ensure they are meeting their tax compliancy needs.
“The contractor market in the UK has been going through an unprecedented period of change since the public sector IR35 reforms were introduced in 2017,” he said, “and there’s no doubt that this will continue to be the case as we count down until the next set of changes, which are scheduled for April 2020.”