employed via agency and 'must pay my own taxes'

[Mattk]

My son is currently employed through an agency and they have told him that he will have to pay his own taxes.

never having been in a similar situation or self-employed myself I am not sure how he does this.

is this a simple thing to arrange?

advice appreciated.

thanks.

[froggequene]

This is the first time I've ever heard of this I've been signed to several temp agencies & the agency has always taken care of my taxes, the agency was my employer. With most agencies they pay the employee & they bill the company who has hired the services of their employee at a later date.

What are the terms and conditions attached to your son's employment? Is he actually employed by a temp agency and is it one of the well known ones?

Other then that I would contact the Inland Revenue for help

[buildersmate]

No, I'm prepared to say I'm 97% sure this will be wrong.
An employee employed through an agency to another company is invariably an employee of that agency. The agency has no choice in that matter - it's the way that HMRC interpret it that is important.
There's info here you may wish to chew your way though.
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/employment-status/index .htm#7
As such the agency has to operate PAYE and deduct NI and tax, and more importantly, fork out for the employer's NI and give holiday pay.
This agency is pulling a fast one.
Get your son to ask them what the HMRC says the employment status of their workers is. Should put the wind up them. Or suggest he lets them know that HE is checking with HMRC what his emplyment status should be.
They are diddling the 11% employers NI, which will been included within the rate negotiated with the end organisation your son is actual working with.

[Mattk]

thanks guys. much appreciated.

it sounded wrong to me too. when he came home he showed me his 1st wage slip and tax has been deducted so gawd knows what bright spark spoke to him!

[buildersmate]

What they probably meant was that what they would be paying him would be subject to deductions for tax and NI.