Ghoulish Honours and Fiendish Fundraising: a Spooktacular October at ICS
Welcome
Now the clocks have changed, it feels like winter’s knocking on the door. We’ve kept warm at ICS Central with dressing up, baking for good causes, using our jumpers for goalposts, and collecting a very special hat-trick award- read on for more. With the autumn budget just around the corner at the time of writing, there’s sure to be surprises ahead, but with ICS on your side, we can help you give Halloween ghouls the heave-ho, and light up the sky with fireworks!
Third Time Triumph!
We’re still on a major high from winning at the Contacting Awards for the third year in a row! A fantastic night at London’s Thames Riverbank Park Plaza, catching up with industry friends and making new ones- if a bit on tenterhooks until the announcement! Protecting umbrella workers and contractors from non-compliant schemes, ensuring seamless onboardings, and keeping standards high every single day takes a brilliant, dedicated team. The award isn’t just well-deserved recognition of their commitment, but for every contractor, agency, and end-client we support, too.
Office Welcome
We’re delighted to welcome Jennifer Gannon to the ICS sales team. Joining us with over 14 years’ experience, Jen has a huge amount of knowledge in payroll and accountancy, and has already settled in and is building great relationships, like a… well, like a Business Partnership Manager to recruitment agencies.
Seasonal Spookiness
We love a bit of Halloween, and duly celebrated with individual gift, joke and treat bags distributed at ICS Central and farther afield. A big thank you to organising mastermind Jamie-Alice: putting our compliance admin in charge ensured everyone got their fair share of treats! Halloween dress down / fancy dress day was also observed with enthusiasm (relaxed for anyone with external client meetings, to avoid confusion and the chance of discussing tax liabilities with a werewolf!)
ICS Represented
Another stimulating and thought-provoking event organised by Lancaster and Morecambe Chamber of Commerce, with guest speaker Leanne Lucas from Let’s Be Blunt, a CIC dedicated to reducing knife harm. Hearing Leanne’s lived experience and educational advocate work to promote positive, practical change was humbling and inspiring; in uncertain times, do check out this great organisation: https://www.letsbeblunt.co.uk/
Insightful roadshow hosted at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium by FreeAgent, the award-winning accounting software support superstars for small businesses, accountants and bookkeepers. They also took home ‘Best Accounting Software for Contractors’ at the recent Contracting Awards 2026- in great company, of course! And as Jen put it: “Say what you like about City….but they make an excellent breakfast bap!”
IR35 Inside-Out
Great feedback and requests for more after our first online IR35 Workshop, a training/refresher tool to help give recruitment consultants more confidence when speaking to contractors, and help answer those tricky payroll questions. So we’re currently planning three more sessions, each focusing on different areas of the recruitment industry, including:
- Construction / CIS: Understanding CIS, who qualifies, CIS vs Umbrella PAYE, compliance responsibilities & common questions
- Health & Social Care: Payroll options for health and social care workers, PAYE vs Umbrella, holiday pay, pensions, compliance, & common questions
- Recruitment, IR35, Payroll Essentials: PAYE, Umbrella, Ltd/PSC, IR35, pensions, holiday pay, compliance, & how to confidently explain options.
Dates will be confirmed shortly, and everyone is welcome; just contact your ICS Account Manager or email: salesteam@icsuk.com to register interest.
Charity Begins- and Continues- at the Office
A yummy Office Bake Sale in support of the Sunshine Smiles Appeal, raising funds to provide welcoming and accessible outdoor play and therapeutic spaces for children at Lancaster Infirmary. Enjoying fresh air, reconnecting with nature, and experiencing the simple joy of being a child are proven to improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and support emotional wellbeing. Enthusiastically supported, we uncovered hidden ICS baking talents (and may have put ourselves on the road to diabetes!)
An update on our battered and bruised ‘Born Survivors’, who have smashed their £1,000 fundraising target for our amazing local St John’s Hospice, who offer incredible care, support and dignity to those going through cancer, and their families. Still time to donate, if you’d like: https://www.justgiving.com/page/ics-accounting-1
Back of the Net:
We had the honour of once again sponsoring the annual Football Tournament organised by PSR Solutions, leading recruitment agency in the construction and healthcare sectors. Alison and Megan represented ICS at Birmingham Aston Powerleague, and loved every minute! Closely-fought competition, plenty of laughs, and a chance to catch up, while raising money for The Lighthouse Charity. Congratulations to worthy winners O’Brien Contractors, and a huge well done to everyone involved.
So, it’s been a month of anticipation, excitement, education and inspiration at ICS, and we hope with you, too! As we step into winter, and interrogate the implications of John Healey’s first budget, keep an eye on our regular blog posts for the latest industry news, insights and invaluable advice. Or to find out what we can do for you across any of our outstanding bespoke contractor accountancy and umbrella payroll, just get in touch.
Best wishes,
Your ICS Accounting Team
