CIS | Hounslow
Working Through Three Agencies Around Heathrow? How Hounslow Subbies Untangle Multi-Agency CIS
The Heathrow corridor runs on agency labour. A Hounslow electrician might take hotel refurb shifts from one agency, cargo-shed fit-outs from another and weekend work from a third, all in the same month. Three payment streams, three sets of CIS deductions, and at tax time, a tangle that loses people real money.
Why multi-agency CIS goes wrong
- Missing statements. Each agency issues its own deduction statements. Forget one agency from early in the year and its deductions silently vanish from your refund.
- One unverified stream. Agencies verify you separately. Two might deduct 20 per cent while the third sits at 30 per cent because of a details mismatch nobody noticed.
- Umbrella confusion. Some agency engagements are CIS, others are umbrella PAYE. They are taxed differently and belong in different boxes on the return; mixing them up causes wrong bills in both directions.
The untangling process
We list every agency you touched in the year (your bank statements never forget, even when you do), gather or chase statements from each, reconcile the deductions against the credits in your account, and fix any stream still on 30 per cent. Then one clean return combines the lot with your expenses: the miles between Heathrow jobs and town sites, tools and testing kit, PPE, tickets and phone.
The forgotten agency
A Hounslow sparkie came to us with statements from two agencies and a refund expectation of about £900. His bank showed a third payer from April to July he had completely forgotten. Its statements added £1,400 of deductions, one stream turned out to be on 30 per cent, and the final refund was £3,900.
Get a quick estimate at the refund calculator (use your combined figures), or see CIS accountant in Hounslow.
Frequently Asked Questions
An agency from last spring has gone quiet. How do I get statements?
Contractors and agencies must keep CIS records and provide statements. As your agent we request them formally, and where a firm has folded, HMRC's record of reported deductions against your UTR fills the gap.
How do I know if a job was CIS or umbrella?
Look at the paperwork: CIS shows a 20 or 30 per cent deduction on a CIS statement; umbrella shows PAYE tax, NI and usually a margin fee on a payslip. Mixed years are common and fine, they just need correct treatment.
Can I claim travel between jobs for different agencies on the same day?
Yes. Site-to-site travel is business mileage regardless of which agency sent you to each.
One agency deducted 30 per cent all year. Is that money lost?
No. Every deducted pound credits against your bill; the over-deduction comes back in your refund. We also fix the verification so next year stays at 20.
Do agency margin fees reduce my taxable income?
Fees actually deducted from your gross (visible on statements) effectively reduce your income, and where charged separately they are claimable costs. The statements tell the story; keep them all.
Is holiday pay from an agency taxable?
If it is paid through a CIS arrangement it is part of your gross like any other pay. Under umbrella PAYE it is taxed as employment income. The paperwork determines the treatment.
Three agencies means three lots of paperwork. Can you just deal with them?
Yes. Once appointed we contact each agency for records directly. Most clients hand us the list and never chase anyone themselves.
What records should I keep going forward?
One folder per tax year: every statement as issued, photographed receipts, and a simple mileage log. Ten minutes a month makes April filing same-week money.
Juggling agencies around Heathrow?
Bring your bank statements to a free 15-minute call and we will find every stream, every statement and every pound deducted.
Or email info@yourtaxhelp.co.uk | CIS accountant in Hounslow
General guidance only. Not personal tax advice. Contact us for advice specific to your situation. Figures relate to the 2025/26 tax year unless otherwise stated.