I have just passed my class 1 and have 10 years experience on class 2. I am finding out that to get on the class 1 train I need to go on agency to gain experience and trust. The Page rates aren’t that great and am advised to go LTD company route. Can anyone recommend a good Umbrella Company that will set me up to do this please ?
Kind regards
Carl
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Have you been round knocking on the doors of proper companies, with 10 years on class 2 you’re miles ahead in chances of the usual new lads, and i would expect you to get an offer without much ado, thinking cap on for the viable places which are sometimes right under your nose but you fail to see them…mainly because they never advertise cos they is proper employers.
Sod the agencies and their bloody dodgy umbrella scams, may they recruit the biggest wreckers in the business who cost them untold £££ in damage claims.
Remember to take 12% holiday pay, 10% pension, around 25% Tax and NI off your LTD rates.
Dont forget the slice for the umbrella company too. Oh and accountants fees, setting up fees etc.
The lower PAYE rate is the better option. Google IR35 too as that could be relevant.
An agency only wants you to go LTD because they absolve their hands of all responsibility towards you. Dont do it.
toonsy:
Remember to take 12% holiday pay, 10% pension, around 25% Tax and NI off your LTD rates.Dont forget the slice for the umbrella company too. Oh and accountants fees, setting up fees etc.
The lower PAYE rate is the better option. Google IR35 too as that could be relevant.
An agency only wants you to go LTD because they absolve their hands of all responsibility towards you. Dont do it.
Oh ok thank you. I was told alot of drivers go Ltd company route as you can claim more expenses ? Not sure if that’s a lie then but knowing agencies yes [emoji23]
PAYE only seems to be around £10hr of which I was getting that on class 2
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An agency lying 
Dont get me wrong once upon a time I’m sure a good fiddle could be made from LTD but theres that much to jump through now the rates aren’t worth it. At my place get £12ph, LTD driver gets £13.25.
As for the pay… the jump in wages isn’t great (again my place its £1/hour more on class one) but the quality of work is often (not always!) better.
As juddian says, try knocking on doors.
I’ve recently retired, but we took on new passes, 10 years class 2 gives you an edge.
Ltd, pfft…lots of threads on it. If someone is pushing you to do it, are they doing it for you or for them. I’m not saying Ltd wont work out better, but it usually doesn’t for all the reasons Rooney pointed out. And from April ne t year the tax office are clamping down on what constitutes Ltd.
I’ve said before, I’d rather have the person with the right attitude and no experience than buckets of experience and a bad attitude. Go out, dress smart work wear, be polite and see where it takes you, and print t out your cv to leave.
Are there any companies near you with a mixed fleet? With your class 2 experience any mixed fleet operator would snap you up.
The small company i work for has a few class 2 units and slightly more class one units. When i started with them i was mainly sent out on the class 2 jobs, although i had a class one license, (but only by a few months) as i established myself with them i was then progressively sent out on more class one jobs, i still do a mix of both. As the hourly rate we paid is the same regardless of what we are driving it makes on difference. Although swapping from something that bends to a rigid concentrates the mind almost as much as swapping between auto and manual, and even the manual boxes are different straight 6, and then split range boxes to give either 12 or 16 gears, oh and not forgetting the one Scania we still have with opticruise. 
Thanks guys. Just spoke to another agency paying £11hr PAYE and don’t use Ltd companies. I worked for them many years ago he said same with your class 2 experience we can work with that and do something so we will see. Thanks again for the advice I guess Ltd company is a no go then [emoji23] Went down Maritime today but that didn’t go well as they only want a reference from my old company of which I left on bad terms with due to wages
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Whatever else you do avoid Mankytime like the plague. Do a search on here for other views.