I joined SmartWork after recommendations from other sources (online searches, speaking with previous contractors) just under year ago. Ian Marshall was my assigned business manager at the time and Ian helped me with all my queries during the joining process and also while I was with SmartWork. The joining process was very smooth. The margins charged were very reasonable and there were no issues with payments which were on time. I didn't encounter any issues during my time with SmartWork. I have no hesitation in recommending SmartWork.

Paystream are as good as any other umbrella at running a basic payroll. They claim to run an "expenses" process but in reality this is infuriating, purposefully so in my opinion. Expenses are an overhead to them which costs them money to process so they make the process as difficult as possible to discourage it's use. They pointed me to the much simpler HMRC process, which spoke volumes about where they'd prefer me to do my expenses. I worked through Giant previously, they were much better!

Generate deactivated my account without informing me yet took money from my agency and did not return it telling them or me that my account had been deactivated. It was only when I was not paid and investigated that I found out what they had done. Then they reactivated my account saying I had no P45 (triggering emergency tax) when the P45 was one they had never given me when they deactivated my account. I spent hours on the phone to HMRC trying to sort out what was Generate's incompetent and sloppy error. At no stage did they apologise or accept any responsibility for their error but we're defensive and rude. I have had similar experiences with them over the years where they blamed HMRC for their mistakes. I finally moved to a more competent umbrella company. I should have done it ages ago.

A lady called LOUISE is very rude, not helpful at all.

It's been over a year and Paystream STILL HAVE NOT and REFUSED TO pay back over 2k of my expenses. Even though my expenses were deemed not tax deductible after filling in Paystream's form, they still taxed them. I'm currently taking legal proceedings against them. Please avoid them at all costs, every time I have called them guaranteed I was given different information on each occasion. Extremely incompetent staff, and not in the slightest knowledgable.

Please do not join this company they will keep your hard earned money. The do not reply to calls or emails. I would not be surprised if they go into administration.

Very low take home pay and did not get paid on my first week signing up with them. Will not recommend. There are other better umbrella companies elsewhere.

incompetant liars non compliant

I have dealt with the Staff at Azebra a couple of times now ,they have always been polite even though I was being a nuisance. I had password issues but got dealt immediately with assurance. Oh yeah! yesterday I had issues with my pension payouts they dealt with my pension issues even though that was my headache and my pension firm but the staff took it upon themselves to sort it out for me and chase my pention company to get to the bottom of this issue. What a great help all staff were always polite no matter what issue I had.I was reassured and never was left hanging and most of all the issues were always dealt. THANKS AZebra keep up the good work.. You are all a brilliant team and just under one Umbrella!!!!!

I have found the help and support at a very high level the person who I spoke with was very helpful and patient the advisor name is Jonny Patel

Refused to pay sick pay that I was entitled to had to get my agency to speak to them twice and send emails but still they didn’t think I was entitled when I was speaking to HMRC on Monday seems like an office of going girls that don’t have a clue about their job or care about doing a good job

Refused to pay my sick pay after being ill they don’t reply to emails . Kept having to get my agency to speak to them in order for it to go though but it still didn’t and they didn’t have the curtesy to tell me either seems like an office full of incompetent girls that don’t know how to process sick pay worse umberella company I have ever dealt with they don’t care or have an professionalism about them at all speaking to HMRC about it on Monday as I know I am in my rights

- Staff refusing to believe you spoke with Workwell despite showing them the time and duration of call as a screenshot from your phone - online portal not fit for purpose: complaints are not answered / queries are not answered / support staff cannot see any emails sent via the portal - for the past three months I have been sent between two-to-five payslips for one client only and one timesheet submission only per month and none of the payslips are correct - student loan payments incorrectly deducted (HMRC and Student Loans have not received anything since they were deducted four months ago which is why I am having to escalate a complaint to HMRC for fraud) - I was automatically charged for Workwell Plus, there was no choice so I appear to be mandated to pay for a premium service but the service is not even adequate let alone premium - there is supposed to be a call-back service but no-one calls back - this must be a known issue because the queues are very long, expected to wait at least 1.30 / 1.40 hours if you are No.4 in the queue, longer if you are further down in the queue. - support staff cannot help, it is always someone else's problem and that team are never around and anyway support staff cannot transfer calls, yet refuse to give out telephone numbers to get you through to that team directly - support staff do not update the system, so when you have waited days for someone to get back to you when you ring the support team again there is no record of your previous call. You have to run through the problems again only to get the same response that they will follow-up 'tomorrow'. Tomorrow never comes. - agencies also have problems communicating with them. I asked my agency to liaise with Workwell regarding the incorrect expense payments and they reported they were not getting the promised follow-ups and issues remain unresolved - I am expecting them to be struck off from FSCA as being non-compliant, following on from my HMRC complaints regarding fraudulent deductions and non-payments

Poor customer service if you can get hold of them. Incorrect accounts. Stay away!

You literally complain of same issues all the time. Working and getting overtaxed. Staff are not always listening to their customer. Very ridiculous people

CONFUSING AND CONTRADICTORY INFO... BUT USEFUL. SO DECIDED TO STAY AWAY FROM THIS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE

I've been dealing with Jo, couldn't ask for any more from her, everything I've asked (and I've asked alot of questions lately) she either has the answer to hand or I get a phone call back within 10mins. Great service

Usually, they are fine. But this is because I don't have to submit expenses very often. If I have to submit expenses I know that it will be painful. Everytime I submit them, I end up having to jump through different hoops. These hoops don't appear to be for any valid reason. They claim that they are imposed upon them, but, they then are unable to prove this in any meaningful way. In fact, they sent me a link to a blog post that showed their requirements were not needed. They don't permit sensible discussions about problems like this and rigidly stick to their random process. I genuinely have submitted two different claims in two consecutive months and found that they suddenly required a load of extra paperwork - obviously I didn't have this as I didn't know I needed it. The second claim was then rejected. This basically means that they have stolen my money because they will still be paid it by the end client. Everything else they do is fine. Nothing to write home about, but, they do what it says on the tin. Just a shame about expenses.

Wrong tax, poor communication

Totally wrong with my tax calculation, poor communication. Received a fraction of my payment.

Have reported them to the office of fair trading Also been in touch with HMRC after reading some of the reviews thought it was best to protect myself before the end of tax year

My first and last experiance with this scam company Should have trusted my instinct from the beginning After reading some of the reviews I have forwarded my final and last pay slip to my accountant to make sure no more alterations can be made

Rude on the phone, regularly late on payment. Take at least 20% of your wage through emergency tax, even if you are exempt. Give you mandatory holiday pay which they tax as well. Avoid like the plague.

when something is too good to be true it normally is. Very efficient very nice people. Always got paid but varied throughout the day. HOWEVER my agency told me to switch or loose the contract. Switched to parasol. Checked my HMRC gateway, no record of amaze, no tax paid no ni paid and to date no P45! Parasols record was their with the tax & NI but no amaze payments. Not worth the risk for a few 100quid - avoid

Parasol seem to rely on standardised email responses which do not answer the queries made. It's so easy to leave and there are better firms out there.