Contractor Resources

Technology Contractors at your fingertips

When you need an experienced, qualified, technically-able Contract Recruitment Consultant to help you meet that urgent deadline or specialist technical skill, Redline’s team is on hand to provide advice, support and deliver the quality of candidate you desire, in the time frame you need.

Part of a 50+ strong team with over 150 years’ experience in providing specialist recruitment solutions to engineering & technology industries, our Contract Consultants have a wealth of knowledge to draw upon when skills, technology and accuracy are essential in a time-critical window.

Areas Covered:

• Engineering
• Technology
• R&D
• Purchasing & Supply Chain
• Project & Programme Management
• Manufacturing & Operations
• Quality
• Finance
• HR

Why choose Contracting? The flexibility, choice and variety of experience that can be achieved by fulfilling contract/interim jobs in the engineering and technical arena is increasingly becoming a popular career choice for many professionals.

As a contractor, you can choose different ways of working with Redline. Contract type varies in terms of what pay rate you will receive and what benefits you are entitled to. At the end of the day, it is up to you which way of working suits your career path.

In most cases, contracting pays more than the permanent market, particularly for the premium skills within the sectors Redline operates in, which are constantly in demand. Redline Contracts Division are the experts when it comes to finding the ideal assignment for contract candidates and clients.

Our services

At Redline, we understand that being a contractor, freelancer or interim employee can often present many challenges. Securing your next career move, building a professional reputation, and managing finances as well as providing your services on a day to day basis can be complicated. That’s why Redline is here to guide you in your contract career.

Our dedicated Contract Support team are readily available whenever you need us to provide assistance and advice before, throughout the term of your assignment and after. Our contractor communication process also means that you will never go more than a month without hearing from us.

Be Professional, Dress Professional

For professional contractors, ‘traditional’ business attire is what one would expect to wear for an interview –even if the usual dress code for a particular industry does not wear ‘office wear’. Always dress smartly for the interview. The key isn’t to look as smart as possible, you want to look like you are well suited to the role.

Preparation

Make sure you know what you’re being interviewed for. Read the job specification several times so that you understand what the key skills and attributes are.

If there are any bits of technical jargon or acronyms in the job posting that you’re not certain about, look them up beforehand or give us a call – they’re bound to come up in the interview questions. Even if you haven’t handled those terms directly before, find a way to relate them to your experience, and focus on the parts of your career up until now that directly demonstrate your suitability for the job role.

Be Confident

If you have done your research, planned and prepared, there’s every reason to be confident – so show the interviewer that you’re feeling positive about your chances.

A firm handshake and a smile are a good starting point, but try to speak clearly at the right tone and speed. Don’t be afraid to take a moment to think about the question before you answer – you may come up with much better responses as a result.

Follow Up

Call your Redline Contract Consultant after your interview (if they haven’t already been in touch with you) You definitely won’t hurt your chances of getting a ‘yes’ just because you chased them up on it – and in many cases, a bit of enthusiasm can turn a negative into a positive (although you may never know it).

Should you need any further interview tips, assistance or have questions please feel free to contact Redline Contracts Division on 01582 450054.

You can find all the relevant information, guides and reference forms, holiday request forms, expense forms, paye Contractor forms in this section.

Is there something you can’t find? If so, please contact the Contract Support Team on 01582 878826 or email info@redlinegroup.com.
Holiday Request Form
Candidate Reference Form

Payment Providers are independent companies that act as an employer or assist in the creation of setting up a Limited Company for the contractor. Their principle function is to organise payment for the contractor. To do this they collect the contractor’s earnings from the agency and then pay it onto the contractor with tax, national insurance (appropriate to method) and their company fee deducted. There are many urban myths surrounding payroll companies, you should be wary of firms advertising 'special' dispensations or expense policies 'approved by' the Inland Revenue, that claim to allow expenses without the need to produce receipts. The Inland Revenue has made it clear that it intends to challenge any company considered to be actively encouraging tax avoidance through fraudulent expense claims. The list of companies below is not an exhaustive list of companies but have been appropriately vetted by Redline to confirm compliance.

Liberty Bishop

Switchboard: 01582 461444
International: +44 (0)1582 461 444
Payroll/Invoicing (direct): 01582 463 700
Email: info@libertybishop.co.uk
Website: www.libertybishop.co.uk

Umbrella

New Enquiries:
T: 0800 121 6513
T: 01625 546610
E: info@umbrella.co.uk

Customer Service:
T: 0844 335 0169
T: 01625 546610
E: team@umbrella.co.uk


Parasol Group

T: 0800 464 0524
E: bestadvice@parasolgroup.co.uk
W: www.parasolgroup.com

Login to you Eazytime Portal

Visit www.https://www.eezytime.co.uk/meritportal/ to login

Insurance for Contractors

The majority of limited company contractors will hold some form of indemnity or liability insurance. These will differ depending on the type of work you are doing and the specific client you are working for.

Which policies should I consider?

The three most common insurances held by freelancers and contractors are Professional Indemnity Insurance, Public Liability and Employers Liability. Broadly speaking, these cover you against negligence in various circumstances.

You may also wish to consider policies such as Business Interruption, Jury Service Cover, Income Protection and Office Contents (if you have a business premises).

Is insurance required by law?

Generally the only insurance required by law is Employers Liability. However, there is a specific exclusion to this rule if you are the only director/employee of your company. If there is more than one worker in your business (i.e. if you employ your spouse), you will probably be legally required to carry Employers Liability insurance.

So why should I buy them?

There are a number of reasons and benefits to having business insurance in place:

• The majority of recruitment agencies and end clients demand that you hold insurance as part of your contract
• Although the likelihood of claims will be undoubtedly slim, it is still a good idea to have insurance for peace of mind
• If you are operating outside IR35, purchasing insurance is a key indicator of being in business on your own account

What level of cover do I need?

This will depend on your contract and nature of business. However, most contractors hold Professional Indemnity Insurance at £1m, Public Liability at £1m and Employers Liability at £10m. Your agency will generally stipulate the minimum levels required contractually.

What does contracting actually mean?

As a contractor you are not an employee of Redline Group Ltd - instead, you are ‘contracted’ to work with Redline Group Ltd. There are two options when setting up as a Redline contractor - either use an umbrella company or set up a limited company.

Should I set up using an umbrella company or as a Limited Company?

All our contractors must use either an umbrella company or set up a limited company. But what’s the difference and what does it mean to you? Please read the Umbrella section for further advice. We always recommend that you take professional advice before making a decision.

How do I register with Redline for Contract and Interim jobs?

To kick the process off, submit your CV by clicking here or Register here.

What is an IR35 and how does it affect me?

IR35 are the Inland Revenue guidelines governing contractors that work through a limited company. The good news is that our contracts are IR35 friendly. However, the Inland Revenue may take an independent look at your business and how you run it. As such, we recommend you take the advice of an accountant to guide you through the IR35 legislation.

Will I need references?

Both permanent and contracting staff are required to pass our referencing and vetting checks. These can vary depending on the assignment you work on, but will typically include:

• Passport
• Visa check (dependent on location or client)
• Proof of address (utility bill from last three months)
• Qualification certificate
• Completed Registration form and ‘Fit and Proper' form
• Confidentiality Agreement

Redline Contracts & Interim Division

Contracts & Interim Director - Peter Livingstone
T: 01582 878852
E: PLivingstone@redlinegroup.com

Manager of Manufacturing & Operations – Graham Cross
T: 01582 878849
E: GCross@redlinegroup.com

Manager of R&D & Engineering – Daniel Saddi
T: 01582 878913
E: DSaddi@redlinegroup.com

Contract Support – Abbee Giles
T: 01582 878826
E: AGiles@redlinegroup.com

Redline Head Office

Redline Group Ltd
Building 230 Butterfield Business Park
Luton
Beds LU2 8DL
Tel: +44 1582 450054
Fax: +44 1582 458685
Email: info@redlinegroup.com