Contractor Insurance Advice from Kingsbridge

The Future of Contracting

We asked our good friends at iContract to put together a blog post for us on their platform and how it fits in with the future of contracting. Read on below for more!

It was recently reported that by 2020 50% of the UK working population will be self-employed. A quite staggering prediction, but also inspiring knowing that many people in today’s workforce want to enjoy the many benefits that come with working for yourself.

Giving evidence to this statistical claim is the rise of contracting. Contracting is proving to be a popular career choice for many, particularly in the financial and tech sectors. Despite being an industry that has experienced its fair share of headlines this year with changes to IR35, the Government u-turn over National Insurance contributions, and the ongoing Brexit debate, contracting still shows no signs of slowing down. It has been reported that the traditionally slower months of summer are still showing a healthy demand when it comes to hiring contractors this year.

The Cost of Setting Out

If you’re a setting out engineer it’s more than likely you’ve seen a rise in your insurance premiums recently (or, in some cases, a point-blank refusal from insurers to provide appropriate cover).

Whilst the exact reasons for changes in average premiums are down to each insurer, it’s more than likely that the industry has seen an uptick in claims made against setting out engineers recently. Couple that with the risks that are often associated with such a precise task, and an unfortunate recipe for increased cost is created.

That’s where we come in. You might have seen our price promise already, but it’s worth reiterating. In the event that you find the same policy cover at a lower price with another UK company, we’ll refund the difference. It’s that simple.

5 Tax Planning Tips for Contractors and Freelancers

As a contractor or freelancer, just hearing the word tax can fill you with panic – but there’s really nothing to worry about! We’ve outlined some basic tips for new contractors and freelancers below. They should help you prepare and manage your taxes easily and efficiently.

1. Set up a business bank account

Having a separate business bank account may seem like something that doesn’t really apply to you as a contractor or freelancer – why can’t you just use your current account? Having a business bank account means you can work out what money is coming in for your business and what money you’re spending.

Who has time to trawl through their personal bank account sifting through your supermarket purchases to try and find all business-related transactions? It makes working out your income and expenditure sheets so much easier.

5 Essential Skills Every Contractor Should Have

Don’t panic if you don’t have all of the skills below yet. These are just a few of the many qualities that help to secure work and deliver the project on time, as well as helping to deliver the best possible results for your clients.

Become a great communicator

You need to be a great communicator when you’re a contractor. Now that you’re wholly and solely responsible for your income you need to step up your confidence level when it comes to communication. If you don’t communicate regularly with your clients they can feel as though they’ve slipped through the net.

Keeping your clients engaged and informed as often as possible means less mistakes get made whilst also ensuring that you’re setting realistic expectations for throughout the project.

General Election 2017: Party Manifestos and the Self-Employed

The Importance of the Self-Employed

We’ve already taken a broader look at what might lie ahead for contractors after Thursday’s General Election. But what about the vote itself? With the polls opening nationwide tomorrow join us as we breakdown the manifestos of each major party (Church of the Militant Elvis Party, this doesn’t include you.)

Before we begin it’s worth noting that the self-employed are likely to have more clout in certain areas of the UK. IPSE recently put together their election breakdown, using constituency data and ONS population statistics to work out where the voice of contractors and freelancers will matter the most.

2017 General Election – What Should Contractors Expect?

In light of recent events in London and Manchester talking about politics seems rather redundant. But as we have heard time and again over the last few days and weeks, we must persevere. The UK moves forward scarred and damaged but defiant. At the time of writing this it appears that Thursday’s General Election is very much on.

As Simon McVicker, IPSE’s Director of Policy, pointed out back in April, no one outside of Mrs. May’s immediate cabinet saw an election on the horizon. Back then a Conservative walkover appeared to be a formality but, 6 weeks later, it seems far from a foregone conclusion.

How to Successfully Manage your Time as a Contractor

Time management is a skill you’ll continue to develop as your contracting career progresses. As soon as you think you’ve got those skills down to a fine art, you might win a contract that tests them to the maximum.

How you effectively manage your time can be the difference between success and failure as a contractor as it heavily relies on self-discipline.

So how can you successfully manage both your career and your time? Here are three key tips to help you become a time management superstar.

Get hired – The Kingsbridge guide to writing a killer CV for contractors

When it comes to securing your new contracting job, a well put together CV is crucial. Contracting is a competitive industry, with many choosing to take the plunge and become their own boss. How can you make sure you stand out?

At Kingsbridge, we’ve come up with a short guide to writing a killer CV. Hopefully, our pointers will help you to secure your next job!

11 productivity hacks every freelancer should know

When you start working for yourself you can start to feel overwhelmed when it comes to managing your productivity throughout the day. It feels like you’ve got so much to do you don’t know where to even begin. That’s why we’ve come up with 11 productivity hacks every contractor and freelancer should know.

7 reasons to quit your job and become a freelancer

Are you thinking about a job change? It might be slightly better pay, but will you feel truly satisfied? If the answer is a straightforward ‘no’, then why not think about becoming a freelancer? With instant access to hundreds of thousands of jobs online, the world really is your oyster!