Mid-week Matters, From CMR – Issue 13 The ONLY Bi-Weekly Newsletter For People In The Umbrella Industry

MWM Issue 13. Dare We Scare You With Umbrella News? (Sorry, I’m better than that)

The stars have aligned, we have Halloween on Friday and this is the 13th issue of Mid-week Matters. And I have only one scary thing to tell you about (you’ll have to read on to find out).

October was a brilliant month, but November promises to be even better. Awards, webinars, and hopefully some good news for the market regarding insurance!

First up, something not to be missed.

🎙CMR LIVE: Talking JSL with Neil Carberry

We’re days away from hosting CMR’s next webinar. The topic, Joint and Several Liability. It’s on everyone’s lips isn’t it?

That’s why this live session with Neil Carberry OBE, CEO of the REC, will cut through the speculation and give agencies, clients, umbrellas and MSPs a clear breakdown of what JSL means and how to get ahead of it.

We’ll be covering:

• Where the actual risk lies, commercially, legally, and reputationally
• What the best-prepared agencies are doing already
• Why umbrellas need to act now rather than later

It’s free to attend, properly informative and worth your time. Want in? DM me, Jade Dunne, Luke Shelbourne or Nicole Wanfor the link.

🍾 Awards Season & The CMR Pre-Drinks

Between the TIARAs, the countless other recruitment awards, the Contracting Awards, and everything in between, the events calendar is packed!

If you’re heading to the Contracting Awards and want to join us for the unofficial pre-drinks with My Digital and Thrivr Perks, we now have a waiting list. Yes, the room is technically full… but we’re trying to squeeze more in.

If you’ve got FOMO and would like to hear about anyone dropping out, drop me a message.

📍 Location shared privately 🍸 No PowerPoints or Pitch Decks. Just proper drinks and decent chat.

😦 Now For Something Scary (potentially, if you’re an agency that doesn’t do real-time due-dilligence)

I speak to a lot of business owners. Not just in the umbrella market, but in recruitment. There’s a growing sense of unease in the market. Not just about regulation, but about money.

People are asking more questions about financial stability. Stories of missed payments, silent suppliers, and cash flow red flags are becoming more common, and with JSL just around the corner, the risk no longer sits with one party.

Shared liability is scary IF you haven’t done your due diligence. Overdue accounts, discrepancies on Companies House, CCJs and cash flow challenges aren’t just a supplier problem anymore, they’re the supply chain’s problem

The takeaway? Don’t wait to be caught out.

If you’re an agency, ensure you’re doing weekly credit checks on your umbrella providers. Notice any reg flags (or even amber)? Move your business elsewhere – immediately. The time for guesswork or being lazy is coming to an end.

Just this week, we’ve seen a supposedly credible and accredited Umbrella with TWO CCJs appear… their potential impending liquidation could come at YOUR expense.

💼 Role Call – What We’re Working On

Managing Directo: Accountancy Practice (Cheshire)💰 Up to £120,000 basic

Take ownership of structure, growth, people and P&L in a well-established, scaling firm. A strong option for someone who wants full control without full risk. For a confidential conversation, please do reach out.

Compliance Lead: Global Payroll & HR Provider 💰 Up to £50,000

Multi-country, multi-product provider with a strong UK base. We need someone with deep compliance knowledge and the commercial confidence to work with senior stakeholders.

Sales Director: Accredited Umbrella📍 North or South | 💰 Up to £100,000

This firm has traction and credibility. The missing piece? A strategic, delivery-focused sales leader to take it further. This is a fantastic opportunity to spearhead growth for the right person.

Accountant Team Lead: 📍Hertfordshire

Lead a small but talented team, manage a portfolio, and support the wider ops strategy. Ideal for a senior accountant looking for more say in how things are run.

💭My Wednesday Wrap-Up💭

October has been louder than usual. And not just because of the Halloween marketing.

Some brands in the sector are really stepping the game up. JSL is shaking things up. So is the later than usual Budget. And everyone’s making moves, some proactive, some defensive.

From where we’re sat, the clients that are communicating well, moving early, and backing their teams are the ones winning.

Thanks for reading. See you at the webinar. Or the awards. Or the unofficial drinks party. Or all.

Have a good Halloween.