Scottish PAYE Umbrella Contractors are in Demand

Specialists in IT contracting might be tempted to consider a move to Bonnie Scotland after reading the Bank of Scotland’s latest Report on Jobs.

Figures for December show that demand for PAYE umbrella contractors and temps remained in vigorous health, with billings dipping only slightly compared to the previous month. Aberdeen topped the poll with an especially buoyant performance –a manifestation, in all likelihood, that the UK’s offshore oil and gas renewables industries have ramped up their prospects successfully.

Contractors working in the IT skills market also did exceptionally well north of the border, with the IT sector in Scotland markedly outperforming the rest of the UK and leading the country’s temp and contractor league tables. The sector scored an impressive 62 index points; many sectors would be happy to reach a score of 50, which represents growth. Hitting above 60 in present economic conditions is, frankly, stratospherically good.

By contrast, in the latest REC/KPMG Report on Jobs for the UK as a whole, the IT sector registered a mere 51.4 index points. Better than a poke in the eye but hardly enough to result in the sound of any champagne corks popping.

Despite the comparatively strong performance of the Scottish economy in December, the Bank of Scotland’s Chief Economist, Donald MacRae, maintained a somewhat traditionally dour outlook, commenting “The labour market is showing the negative effects of the slowdown in the Scottish economy. The Scottish economy is struggling to maintain growth momentum in the face of the global slowdown.”

Many in the UK would prefer Scotland’s slowdown to their own.

Source:

http://www.contractorcalculator.co.uk/engineering_contractor_demand_scottish_market_403910_news.aspx