An umbrella company scheme may be suitable for:

• contractors starting up who expect to work through an agency for the foreseeable future
• contractors who are �caught� by IR35
• contractors who do not want the additional administration and finance hassle involved in running their own business and who are happy to hand these functions over to an umbrella company
• contractors wishing to maximise their take home pay by leveraging Revenue dispensations for genuine, receipted expenses
• new contractors who think that they may struggle with the responsibilities of running a company
• short-term contractors who want to avoid the costly process of forming a company and then arranging for it to be dissolved

PCG's Guide to Freelancing provides a useful source of information to new and established freelancers and small business owners, and offers a wealth of helpful advice about running and nurturing a successful business. It covers:

• setting up your business, choosing the right structure
• accounting, banking and insurance
• tax matters
• getting paid
• running your business 
• securing work
• your personal finances
• closing a company 

Download PCG's