PAYE umbrella company contractors may find more opportunities in the public sector in 2012 after the REC launches a new Commission.

There are concerns that small businesses will adopt a ‘hire and fire’ culture if proposed reforms to employment laws go ahead.

Umbrella companies should start thinking about the changes they will need to make to their payroll software so that they can implement HMRC’s Real Time Information system.

Would you offer an agency a bonus to find you a contract? Apparently one IT contractor did exactly that and told recruiters he would pay £1,500 to whichever consultancy secured him a position!

Umbrella company contractors will no doubt be interested to learn that an unprecedented verdict was recently passed down in an IR35 case.

A recent survey by the PCG found that most limited company contractors think the UK’s economic landscape will not improve next year.

The festive season can be a quiet time for many umbrella company contractors; companies close down for a long break, and in the case of IT contractors, most of the major banks have told them to take a mandatory two-week break.

Contractors are no doubt aware that the government recently changed the rules on the amount of money people can put aside in a pension scheme and still benefit from tax relief. It used to be £225,000, but earlier this year chancellor Osborne reduced that to a mere £50,000 per year.

Umbrella company contractors with international skills could find themselves in demand after Vince Cable said people with such skills were in short supply.

The Forum of Private Business is warning companies that they could alienate their workers, including umbrella contractors, if they scrap this year’s office Christmas party.

Umbrella company contractors who receive tax credits or other financial assistance may be interested to learn that HMRC recently signed a deal with Experian to help it catch people who fraudulently claim tax credits and other benefits.

Never mind the year of the dragon, 2012 will be the year of the cloud for IT contractors.