People Group Services

02/09/2026

When a Trust directly employs or engages a locum doctor, the visible hourly rate is only one part of the operating model.

Depending on the legal arrangement, terms and eligibility, the Trust may also need to fund or administer employer National Insurance, pension obligations, holiday pay, statutory sick pay, statutory family payments, PAYE and RTI, worker records, queries, corrections, grievances, termination and internal governance.

That does not make Direct Engagement wrong. It means the comparison must include the full cost and responsibility stack rather than treating VAT as the only measure.

For qualifying GMC doctors, the new HMRC position creates the opportunity to keep the Trust as hirer and move the agreed payroll and employment operation to PGS, while the agency retains its client and assignment relationship.

01/09/2026

Two more businesses have been made to sit on HMRC’s naughty step, adding to growing the list of tax avoidance scheme promoters:

🔹 MUE Admin HR Ltd
🔹 Novara Nexus Ltd

And it’s worth remembering that most tax avoidance schemes simply don’t work.

HMRC can catch up with you, even if you thought the scheme was legitimate when you signed up. And when they do, the consequences can be seriously expensive, with tax repayments, interest and potentially hefty penalties to pay.

So before getting involved with anything that promises to dramatically reduce your tax bill, make sure you know exactly what you’re signing up for.

You can check HMRC’s latest list of named tax avoidance schemes, promoters, enablers and suppliers here:

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28/08/2026

When it comes to payroll compliance, there’s no room for guesswork.

Agencies need to know that their payroll is being handled properly, especially when legislation and statutory requirements are constantly changing.

That means having a payroll partner who understands the detail, keeps on top of the changes and has the right processes in place to make sure everything is handled correctly.

That’s what People Group Services brings to the table. Compliance is engrained into how we operate every day. For recruitment agencies, that means confidence that an important part of their operation is being managed properly by people who understand what they’re doing.

To find out more about how People Group Services can support your agency, call 0345 034 1530 or email [email protected].

26/08/2026

Under a Trust Direct Engagement model, the Trust or healthcare provider directly engages and pays the doctor. The recruitment agency generally acts as introducer or employment agency and charges VAT on its introduction, management or administration fee.

The VAT structure can be attractive, but it moves the engagement and payment architecture onto the Trust. Where the arrangement is employment, the Trust may also face the employer-cost, payroll, pension, holiday, statutory-pay, HR and employment-governance layer.

Direct Engagement can be administered well and specialist providers can operate much of the process. The strategic question is whether the Trust should still accept that route for a qualifying GMC locum when HMRC now accepts that the agency’s own supply may be exempt.

Joint Employment offers a different answer: the Trust remains the hirer, the agency retains the relationship and PGS operates the agreed employment infrastructure.

24/08/2026

Your payroll provider lets you down. Your contractors blame you.

It might not seem fair, but from a contractor’s point of view, it’s understandable. They don’t care about who actually processes their payroll. They’re going to remember the recruitment agency that placed them.

That’s why your choice of payroll partner matters. They’re an extension of your agency, and the service they provide can have a real impact on your contractor relationships and your reputation.

At People Group Services, we take that responsibility seriously. We provide reliable, compliant payroll and make sure contractors have the support they need, so agencies can get on with running their business knowing their payroll is in safe hands.

If your current provider is creating more headaches than they’re taking away, it’s time to find out more about how People Group Services can support your agency. Call 0345 034 1530 or email [email protected].

21/08/2026

Payroll, one thing that takes up too much time, right?

When you’re busy finding candidates, winning new clients and looking after contractors, the last thing you need is payroll becoming another thing to manage.

That’s why People Umbrella is designed to take the hassle out of the process. With more than 20 years’ experience, People Umbrella handles contractor employment and payroll compliantly, while giving contractors access to dedicated support, a 24/7 portal, statutory employment rights, holiday management, pension options and more.

For your agency, it means having a specialist partner handling the payroll side while you get on with growing your business.

And because your contractors’ experience reflects on your agency, having a payroll provider that is responsive, transparent and easy to deal with matters too.

Want to know how People Umbrella can work for your agency? Head on over to https://peoplegroupservices.com/, then call 0345 034 1530 or email [email protected]

19/08/2026

GMC registration is the first test, not the final answer. A GMC number is not, by itself, enough to change the VAT treatment of a locum assignment.
Before an agency changes an invoice code it should be able to evidence three things:

1. The individual is registered in the GMC register of medical practitioners.
2. The individual is performing medical services in that professional capacity.
3. The role must be performed by a registered medical practitioner.

That means mixed healthcare workforces must be segmented properly. Physician associates, anaesthesia associates, allied health professionals, nurses and general staffing do not become exempt under the locum-doctor route simply because they work in a clinical environment.

The strongest sales message is precise: qualifying GMC locum supplies may be exempt where the published HMRC tests are met.

17/08/2026

What If Your Payroll Was One Less Thing To Worry About?

13/08/2026

HMRC has changed the VAT route for GMC Locum Doctors.

HMRC Revenue & Customs Brief 6/2026 changes the starting point for healthcare recruitment businesses supplying qualifying GMC-registered locum doctors.

The supply may now fall within the medical-deputy exemption even when it is made through an employment business.

That does not mean every doctor or every healthcare role is exempt. The worker must be GMC-registered as a medical practitioner, must be performing medical services in that professional capacity and the assignment must require a registered medical practitioner.

The commercial consequence is bigger than a historic VAT claim. For a qualifying doctor, the Trust may no longer need to become the direct engager solely to achieve the VAT result.

The agency can now compare the employment models on administration, worker experience, JSL evidence and control - not on VAT alone.

12/08/2026

Another happy contractor, another great review. Here’s why they trust us to handle their payroll...

“I get a text each week before I’m paid. There is always a personal response to my emails, within 24 hours. The portal to access my payslips is easy to navigate, unlike other payroll companies.”