PAYE umbrella contractors may be tempted to relocate to Ireland after Apple announced it intends to expand its European HQ in Cork.

Outsourcing IT functions abroad is contributing to a skills shortage at home, according to a recent survey by Computer Weekly.

IT contractors better make sure their finances are in good order following the news that an increasing number of companies are looking into the financial past of freelance workers before offering them a contract.

IT contractors should be aware that HMRC will track down anybody it believes could be guilty of tax evasion as a Scottish consultant found to his cost recently.

We’ve heard a lot recently about new opportunities for contractors in the renewable energy sector. However, there was a bit if bad news last week as a Korean company decided to suspend its plans to invest in the UK’s wind industry.

4.132m people in the UK are now self-employed according to the latest employment statistics from the ONS. That’s an increase of 136,000 since February 2011.

The latest employment statistics, released by the ONS last week, showed a 0.1% decrease in the unemployment rate.

Contractors with young families may be aware that HMRC has overhauled the tax credit scheme.

Despite the fact that it’s freezing and extremely windy, the North Sea should be looking particularly appealing to umbrella company contractors with skills in offshore wind technology.

Officebroker, the office rental service, has discovered that British office workers are trying to impress their manager by staying at work longer than necessary

Umbrella company contractors may want to head for the clouds of Scotland after enStratus announced it plans to set up operations in Edinburgh.

Umbrella company contractors who work in web design could find themselves in demand over the next few weeks as the deadline looms for the implementation of new data protection rules.