George Grainger

Helped a fintech client navigate a sensitive inside IR35 placement last month. The key? Clear role definition + early contractor alignment.

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𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵-𝗕𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗥𝟯𝟱: 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗨𝗽 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 🔍 IR35 can be a tricky area to navigate, with many myths and misconceptions floating around. Let’s clear up some common misunderstandings to help you manage your IT contracts effectively and stay compliant: 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟭: 𝗜𝗥𝟯𝟱 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 Reality: While IR35 directly impacts contractors, clients are also responsible for correctly determining the contractor’s status. Misclassification can lead to financial penalties for your business. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟮: 𝗨𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗖𝗘𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 Reality: The CEST tool is a helpful guide, but its results aren’t legally binding. It's essential to seek additional professional advice to ensure accurate assessments. We can help you with this. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟯: 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗜𝗥𝟯𝟱 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝘀 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 Reality: Even if a contractor falls inside IR35, they are not employees. They don’t receive the same benefits and protections as full-time employees but are subject to similar tax treatments. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟰: 𝗜𝗥𝟯𝟱 𝗗𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗦𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗕𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 Reality: The private sector reform in April 2021 introduced an exemption for small businesses, but medium and large businesses still need to comply. Understanding your business’s classification is crucial. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟱: 𝗜𝗥𝟯𝟱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 Reality: A contractor’s IR35 status can change based on the specifics of each contract and working arrangement. Regular reviews and assessments are necessary to stay compliant. 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 𝟲: 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗔𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗜𝗥𝟯𝟱 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 Reality: HMRC can investigate both the contractor and the client. Ensuring compliance from the start protects both parties from potential scrutiny and penalties. Understanding these myths and the realities of IR35 helps in creating a compliant and fair working environment for all parties involved. If you need any guidance or have questions about IR35, feel free to reach out. We’re here to support you through the complexities.

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I’m getting more questions around inside vs outside IR35 rate cards across AI & Data roles, so here’s a grounded view of what’s landing across the M4 corridor. This is based on live conversations with contractors and hiring managers. AI Architect designs and oversees the strategic implementation of AI across the organisation. Outside IR35: £750–£900/day | Inside IR35: £850–£1,000/day What drives rates: enterprise scale, ownership of AI strategy, governance, stakeholder influence, and accountability beyond delivery. Machine Learning Engineer designs, builds, deploys and maintains ML systems in production. Outside IR35: £550–£700/day | Inside IR35: £650–£800/day What drives rates: production ML experience, real pipelines, reliability, and impact beyond notebooks. MLOps Engineer builds and runs platforms that deploy, monitor and manage ML models in production. Outside IR35: £600–£750/day | Inside IR35: £700–£850/day What drives rates: ownership of the full model lifecycle, platform stability, incident response, and ability to operate at scale. Data Scientist applies statistics, engineering and domain knowledge to solve business problems. Outside IR35: £450–£600/day | Inside IR35: £550–£700/day What drives rates: commercial outcomes, stakeholder communication, and influence on decision-making, not just modelling. A few market realities worth calling out. For contractors, the decision between inside and outside IR35 usually comes down to overall take-home, contract length, and how clearly defined the work is, not just the headline day rate. For hiring managers, getting the IR35 determination right upfront is key. When this is done accurately, especially with an agency that has a clear IR35 assessment process in place, it reduces risk, avoids rework, and often leads to better quality contractors and stronger value for money. If useful, I’m happy to share how teams are structuring roles to attract strong talent without overpaying. #IR35 #AIJobs #DataCareers #ContractorsUK #HiringManagers

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South Wales Software Developer Salary Benchmarking - Feb 2026 Market Insights If you’re hiring (or thinking about making a move), here’s a quick, data-backed look at what Software Engineers are earning across Cardiff & South Wales right now. Junior Software Developer (0–2 years) - £25,000 – £35,000 Mid-Level Software Developer (2–5 years) - £35,000 – £50,000 Senior Software Developer (5-6+ years) - £55,000 – £70,000+ *£60k+ usually requires strong backend/cloud or leadership skills. Lead Software Developer (10+years) - £70,000 - £80,000 What This Means for the Market Salaries in South Wales remain competitive, especially for mid–senior engineers. Technologies using C#/.NET , JavaScript, React or Cloud technologies continue to command higher salaries due to demand. Power Platform talent remains in short supply — low-code roles are paying more year-on-year. Hybrid & remote flexibility is becoming a major influence on candidate movement. If you want a full salary breakdown, a role-specific benchmark, or insight into what candidates are looking for right now, drop me a message.

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Let’s talk IR35… ⚖️ IR35 is not just a tax issue. It is a decision-making issue. From a client perspective, uncertainty around IR35 slows everything down. Projects stall. ⏳ Approval chains grow. And critical expertise is delayed when it is needed most. From a contractor perspective, IR35 clarity determines trust. 🤝 Top contractors want transparency before conversations go too far. They want to understand risk, control, and expectations from day one. When IR35 is left until the final stages, both sides lose. Clients lose access to their strongest contractors. Contractors lose confidence in the project and the process. The most effective engineering programmes treat IR35 as part of early planning, not an afterthought. Clear status. ✅ Clear scope. 📋 Clear accountability. When clarity exists, decisions happen faster, and delivery becomes easier. 🚀 #IR35 #ContractEngineering #EngineeringLeadership #UKContractors #WorkforceStrategy #ProjectDelivery

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February BI & Data Contract Market Overview: Last month we saw consistent demand across BI, Data Governance and Product, with Outside IR35 opportunities starting to pick up again. Here’s a snapshot of some of the roles we supported on: ▪️ BI Developer (Closed) - Media Production Tableau, SQL Up to £450 per day | Outside IR35 ▪️ Power BI Developer (Closed) - Environmental Services Power BI, SQL, Azure Up to £480 per day | Outside IR35 ▪️ Information Governance Officer (Closed) - Government Administration Data Governance Frameworks, Data Mapping, Data Flows Up to £410 per day | Outside IR35 ▪️ Data Product Manager (Open) - Media Production Adtech, Audience, Advertising Experience Up to £490 per day | Outside IR35 As teams review financial year plans and allocate remaining or new budget, we’re seeing early conversations pick up around BI delivery, data platform improvements, and governance projects. If you’d like a sense-check on day rates within the Data & Tech market - feel free to drop me a message. Always happy to share what we’re seeing!

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⚖️ IR35 in 2025: Smart Strategies for Using Contract IT Talent Contractors remain essential for scaling fast and accessing niche expertise—but IR35 continues to confuse and concern many businesses. Our advice: Define Status Clearly - Use robust, documented IR35 assessments. Call in Experts - Don't risk misclassification; specialist advice pays off. Specify Deliverables - Crystal-clear contracts strengthen your IR35 position. Bottom line: Don't let IR35 scare you off. With the right processes in place, you can tap into exceptional contract talent without compliance headaches.

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Our latest survey of tech leaders shows that contractors outside IR35 typically report 20–30% higher daily rates than those inside, but inside IR35 roles are still common in financial services and pharma. Interestingly, we’re also seeing a rise in shorter, fractional-style engagements, especially in AI and cyber. Reach out to get a copy of our survey results.

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💻 JavaScript hiring – a bit of insight into some industry trends 💻 LinkedIn is feeling a lot busier with JavaScript roles at the moment which is great to see.   Echoing Ben Clarfelt's point in his previous post the LinkedIn apply system is not the best. A word of advice is to always follow up with the hiring or talent manager via a message expressing your interest. It really helps you to stand out from the crowd. Yesterday I took a look at 50 JavaScript roles to see if anything stood out and there’s several things worth highlighting: 📊 78% of JavaScript roles were working with TypeScript 💻 There were only two junior roles. We’re seeing an emphasis on mid and senior roles 🤖 A significant number of roles (46%) mentioning a want for experience with AI, or a willingness to integrate it into your workflow On the seniority point, are we seeing a shift away from junior roles because companies can now automate a lot of tasks with AI? Total breakdown of seniority was: ⭐10% Lead and Principal roles ⭐56% Senior roles ⭐30% Mid roles ⭐4% Junior roles This was only a sample of the latest 50 roles posted in the UK so not a thorough breakdown of the market. It’s interesting to see some pretty clear trends though.

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Hiring contractors can be a brilliant way to add speed and flexibility, but getting the setup right is crucial. IR35 responsibility now sits with most employers, and even one misclassified contractor can lead to significant unexpected costs. For a contractor on a £500 day rate, that can range between £31,746 and £48,840 a year in estimated unpaid tax, NI and penalties. A bit of clarity upfront on engagement routes, documentation and compliance goes a long way. We’ve put together a clear, simple guide to help teams approach contractor hiring with confidence. If you’d like a copy, just let me know! #socialscaling #contractor #IR35 #newjob #recruitment #software #mechanical #manufacturing #electronics

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If you’re working through acquisition or integration and haven’t reviewed your resourcing plan, you’re already behind. We speak to private equity-backed companies weekly who need: - A Transformation Director tomorrow - Data & tech capability yesterday - IR35-compliant contract teams without drama The earlier we’re brought into the conversation, the more value we can add. Because yes we can fill gaps fast. But the biggest returns come when we’re part of the plan, not the patch-up.

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🔥 Tech contractors are driving innovation in 2026 🔥 📈 Tech employment is projected to exceed 2.2 million in 2026 📈 Over 40% of UK tech companies rely on contractors to meet delivery targets and scale quickly 📈 UK tech investment is expected to surpass £20 billion in 2026, with a focus on scaling digital infrastructure, AI innovation, and cybersecurity resilience. In a market where speed, flexibility, and expertise are essential, contract hiring isn’t just a solution, it’s a competitive edge. I’ve joined TheOneGroup to help tech teams tap into this momentum. If you're planning growth, launching new products, or navigating change in 2026, let’s talk about how contract tech talent can support your goals. ✉️ [email protected] #TechHiring #Tech2026 #Recruitment #TheOneGroup #Contract #TechTrends

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𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁 - 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗜𝗥𝟯𝟱! Bringing in a consultant isn’t just about plugging a gap, it’s about driving outcomes, unlocking expertise, and accelerating delivery when it matters most. When they are Outside IR35, the value is clear, you’re not adding to headcount, you’re extending capability and capacity. To get the most from that partnership: ✅ 𝗕𝗲 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀. Consultants deliver best when the goals are defined, measurable, and meaningful. 🤝 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺. They’re not there to “fit in”, they’re there to move things forward. ⏰ 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲. Impact happens when consultants have the information and autonomy to act quickly. 📣 𝗞𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲. Alignment and transparency mean delivery stays on track. 📊 𝗝𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀. The right consultant delivers value far beyond their day rate. The best consultants don’t just deliver, they leave behind clarity, confidence, and capability that's sustainable. 👉 I’d love to hear what helps you get the most from external expertise? Happy Thursday 😀

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Are you using role-based IR35 assessments the right way? Many businesses use role-based assessments to speed up hiring decisions. It’s a smart way to get an early view of IR35 status, but only if done properly. The key is knowing the difference: ✔️A role-based assessment helps streamline hiring. ✔️A blanket determination risks non-compliance. The distinction matters. Role-based assessments can bring consistency and efficiency – but only when combined with individual checks once a contractor is engaged. Our new article explains how to apply this approach without falling into the blanket determination trap. 👉 Read it here: https://buff.ly/WqYiHgc #IR35 #IR35assessment #IR35Compliance #Compliance #Consultation #HRnews #HR #HMRC

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