Fed up doin 45hr ish a week as full time employee and only takin home £380-£430! Is that the expected industry wage?
I’m seriously thinking of goin on agency books as paye instead. Agency at my place are doing the same work for £12-£15 hr and getting the best work because the company has paid for them to be there so they’re gonna use them! Drivers that wear the company uniform should come first!
But then again is it worth goin to agency as a ltd company verses paye? Thoughts?
Go where the money is. The only reason people take full time jobs that pay less than at agency - is “insecurity”.
There’s plenty of work around for those still on agency, and there’s plenty of jobs about that pay more than £500pw - north and south.
PAYE agency also has the advantage that if you find the work drying up at times of the year, such as January - you’ll get some of the taxes back you paid when you were flat out.
Don’t touch any of these “Self-Employed” options though, unless you are already Ltd or an Owner Driver. 
Cheers winseer, I’m a grafter and try to get as many hours as poss, but when the company is holding you back, the end weekly pay is disheartening.
Can I sign up to more than one agency as paye?
If so, how would I keep them both happy with accepting work? If they both need me for that day or week?
wheelyb:
Cheers winseer, I’m a grafter and try to get as many hours as poss, but when the company is holding you back, the end weekly pay is disheartening.Can I sign up to more than one agency as paye?
If so, how would I keep them both happy with accepting work? If they both need me for that day or week?
They ring you, you say yes or no. Then you do said work. Normally they’ll say its a day job/week job etc etc. Then you either ring the other agencys and say your not available, or if they ring you say your already working that day/week.
This wouldnt be nft would it?
Im currently there at the moment and im seeking other work due to the system they operate.ie start at 130am finish at 8am then next shift is 3am start!
Nft is a massive let down.More agency drivers than Full time says it all.
Thing is with agency is u can be let down a hr before you start your shift then u don’t earn anything that’s the only problem with agency
samledger1212:
Thing is with agency is u can be let down a hr before you start your shift then u don’t earn anything that’s the only problem with agency
Minimum 8 hours pay if they cancel that close to start time if not you don’t turn up at next job they give you then remind them why when they ring.
samledger1212:
Thing is with agency is u can be let down a hr before you start your shift then u don’t earn anything that’s the only problem with agency
It’s not the only problem mate, problems abound with these “pick 'em up and put 'em down” type of agencies.
I reckon that the writing is on the wall as far as employers perceptions of agencies exist; we’re all aware of the ongoing HMRC witch hunt re self employed/Ltd Co drivers so what I forsee happening is that agencies will soon only be able to employ people on a PAYE basis. This will mean that the agencies will have to up their charging rates by around £4 to £5 per hour in order to cover their new outgoings. The knock on effect of this will be that the major transport players who rely so heavily on agency staff will have to bite the bullet and employ large numbers of their own staff.
I forsee that within a year, or two at most that many agencies will thus disappear and the ones that survive will resemble the ones from way back when they existed solely to provide holiday and sick cover staff, and NOT to provide the majority of the workforce at any one place.
Ye there is all that to pal your right and the agencies in hull drop you a our before and don’t pay u for 8hrs but I also don’t agree that companies should pay 8.50 a hr I think that’s a joke to fair think all drivers should stick together and just all stop and force them to up the wage
Winseer:
The only reason people take full time jobs that pay less than at agency - is “insecurity”.
The ‘only’ reason? You’re deluded if you believe that!
I’v been in full time employment for long & weary, & can’t say that I’m insecure enough to want to sign up to these agencies. Pretty sure I’d be more ‘insecure’ wondering if I’d be getting a weeks work next week, or if I’ll be earning nothing.
busteredwards:
Winseer:
The only reason people take full time jobs that pay less than at agency - is “insecurity”.The ‘only’ reason? You’re deluded if you believe that!
I’v been in full time employment for long & weary, & can’t say that I’m insecure enough to want to sign up to these agencies. Pretty sure I’d be more ‘insecure’ wondering if I’d be getting a weeks work next week, or if I’ll be earning nothing.
You’ve just proved what he said was right. You’re so insecure in your life, either in your ability as a driver, financially, mentally or all of the aforementioned that you feel you need the security of a regular weekly wage from full time permanent employment.
For those of us with bigger balls who feel secure in our abilities as a driver and have secure finances we are more willing to take a chance and earn more money per hour but without the certainty of permanent employment.
Even Christmas night we have to have the argument and ■■■■■■■ contest… 
Wheelyb, the reason you are on that sort of money and the agency doing better is that you work for a crap paying company end of, we’ve all been there at some point, not the agency bit cos those sharks didn’t exist at one time but nearly all of us will have had crap jobs paying Godawful money, so what we all did was find a better job and bugger off out of it.
There’s nothing wrong with the hours you are doing, its the pay you are getting for those hours.
Get yourself out there mate and find a better job in the new year, but don’t be too quick to jump into the clutches of an agency, remember for those bank hols you’ve been paid for they got paid bugger all unless they worked, when you’relying on the beach being paid for those summer hols next year the agency bod beside you (unless on paye) won’t be getting paid either, though to hear some of them you’d think they took home a Grand a week for a 35 hour week and live in a mansion with butlers gardeners and house maidens on tap.
Get yourself an own account job if you can, if you can’t find one find a company that has union recognition with collective bargaining for terms and conditions, if you get a job like that with good terms please don’t be one of those arses who won’t join the union but has no trouble trousering the decent pay you will get, it won’t come as surprise that those who benefit the most from such terms who won’t join the union are nearly always the most gobby complaining about everything yet the first to call the shop steward for support when they get themselves in the crap and end up in disciplinary.
Till then if the company is playing you lads wrong, and denying you certain jobs when the agency are there, don’t be so keen to do the jobs when the work dries up and the agency get knocked on the head, its not just agencies that pick you up and put you down to suit.
Does having big balls really reflect on your driving ability or financial status Conor.
Let me explain my balls are huge but I’m skint and on light duties and not allowed to drive.
Ignore the whole dont get paid while your off crap.
One, if you can slighty manage your finances taking a couple weeks off with no pay shouldnt be an issue.
Two, over the year say company slave has a 20-24k salery an agency takes 28-32k avereged over the year all weeks were paid just physical 50 pay weeks a year not 52.
Double post
The only input I would give the o/p is to choose your agency wisely, as unfortunately there are a lot of rogues out there just trying to make a quick buck at your expense (literally). I have had two specialist driving agencies LGV Drivers and Driver Hire, that have stated they will not offer a PAYE option on contracts, but with HMRC now declaring most umbrella schemes illegal, those types of non PAYE options are best avoided. Then you have the plethora of agencies advertising ‘vacancies’ they don’t actually have, which wastes everyone’s time.
As others have said ,Your job may be crap but it’s full time and pays bills so don’t jump at the first thing that comes along as the grass may be dead rather than greener (been there and done that ) 
Also don’t forget things tail off jan feb but pick up in march as holiday has to be used etc and the garden leisure side pick up so plant trolley delivers pick up and they’re easy once you get in the swing
m_attt:
Ignore the whole dont get paid while your off crap.One, if you can slighty manage your finances taking a couple weeks off with no pay shouldnt be an issue.
Two, over the year say company slave has a 20-24k salery an agency takes 28-32k avereged over the year all weeks were paid just physical 50 pay weeks a year not 52.
Conveniently ignoring how many days, how many premium days, and how many hours on those days were worked to justify those figures, both sets.
Your full time (basic) salary figures are between 6k and 18k out with holiday and shift pattern rest days amounting to 42 days on top of the 2 weeks you mention, not incl the standard 2 day rest periods per week.
Things have moved on, for those with good work records there are some excellent terms to be had out there, but they won’t be advertised for obvious reasons.
Conor:
You’ve just proved what he said was right. You’re so insecure in your life, either in your ability as a driver, financially, mentally or all of the aforementioned that you feel you need the security of a regular weekly wage from full time permanent employment.For those of us with bigger balls who feel secure in our abilities as a driver and have secure finances we are more willing to take a chance and earn more money per hour but without the certainty of permanent employment.
Interesting theory, but utter nonsense. I’v driven trucks for the last 26 years, 18 of those at BP oil, now working a nice clean number at Asda which pays well. We have no mortgage now, we have one 3 month old car in the drive & a 2 year old car parked beside it, so your tripe about being financially insecure is out the window.
Secondly, I’d put my driving abilities up against yours any time, so no issues there either. My mental health appear to be fine, so I doubt there’s a problem there that makes me happy with my full time/permanent job.
If you think sitting by a phone waiting for the next call to arms gives you big balls, then you’re on the same far away planet as the other fella! Deep down, I suspect a lot of you agency monkeys would love a nice job with a good wage, but are too bitter at not being able to find one. Sad really, but keep thinking the way you’re doing, & you’ll be fine! lol. 
Thanks for all your replies guys. I was thinking of, the logistic people, manpower and challenge for work, and jumping ship March/April when work pics up. But a lot can happen between now and then