Confident Contractor Lunch Accelerator: Get Booked as a UK IT Contractor
A practical 4–week programme (two live sessions per week) designed especially for new UK contractors — whether you're weighing up umbrella company vs limited company, or you've decided to go limited and want the next steps. Learn exactly how to build recruiter and agency relationships that get you booked, manage your contracts and cash flow, stay compliant, and build the confidence to thrive as a contractor.
Meet your mentor: Neil Millard
With decades in IT and years of hands-on contracting, Neil brings practical insight and clear, step-by-step guidance. He's helped countless professionals move from permanent roles into confident, successful contracting careers.
Who this is for
- New or soon-to-be UK contractors who want a clear path from day one.
- Those who want tried-and-tested approaches to finding contracts (including hidden opportunities).
- Anyone unsure about VAT, invoicing, legal processes, insurance, or compliance.
- Contractors weighing up umbrella company vs limited company, or sole trader vs limited company, before committing to a structure.
Umbrella company vs limited company
Deciding between an umbrella company vs limited company is the first big fork in the road for a new contractor — and it's where the course starts. About half the material is relevant whichever umbrella company you go with; the other half covers running your own limited company (setup, cash flow, tax, and reporting), so you get a clear-eyed comparison and a plan for whichever route — including sole trader vs limited company contractor status — suits you.
Course structure: 4 weeks, 2 sessions per week
- Week 1 — Getting Booked: Building recruiter and agency relationships, positioning yourself, and creating consistent inbound demand.
- Week 2 — Contracts: What contracts are, who's involved, key clauses, liabilities, and how engagements can end (planned or sudden).
- Week 3 — Cash Flow & Compliance: VAT, invoicing, accounts, taxes, insurance, and staying on the right side of the rules.
- Week 4 — Confidence: Building expertise, making informed decisions, and showing up like a pro.
Week-one setup checklist
Alongside Week 1, you work through a straightforward setup checklist covering VAT registration, corporation tax basics, cash flow foundations, and the contract legals you need in place — the one-time admin sorted early, so it never becomes the thing holding you back from saying yes to work.
Included support: accountant guidance
As part of the course, you get introduced to a trusted accountant partner who can answer your setup and compliance questions directly — included support alongside the course, not another module to study.
Interactive learning and personal support
Ask questions at any time. You'll get direct guidance tailored to your situation.
One student, after a brief 1:1 call, made a confident decision about a potential contractor role— exactly the kind of clarity this course is designed to deliver. If you want that support to continue after the course, 1:1 freelancer coaching is built on the same 3Cs framework for working through your own contracts, cashflow, and compliance.
Common questions we answer
- Where do I find contract roles (including the ones never advertised)?
- When should I start looking and how fast can I begin?
- Umbrella company vs limited company — which is right for me?
- What do I need in place before I can sign?
- How do VAT, invoicing, and legal processes actually work in practice?
- What insurance do I need and what happens if an engagement ends suddenly?
- What do the IR35 rules mean for how I'm paid?
What you'll learn
- Finding contracts: Proven strategies for building agency relationships and generating both advertised and hidden opportunities.
- Negotiation & delivery: Securing good terms, building strong client relationships.
- Business setup: Umbrella company vs limited company, sole trader vs limited company contractor status, and getting your contracting business established properly.
- Money & tax: Cash flow, VAT, invoicing, expenses, reporting, and working out your take-home pay as a limited company contractor. (Try our Finance Tools)
- Compliance: Confirmation statements, accounts, IR35 rules explained, and the essentials that keep you safe.
- Confidence: Tools and mindset to feel prepared and expert.
Check your readiness
Not sure where you are on the journey? Take the quick quiz to assess your knowledge and identify the best next steps.
Ready to build your confidence as a contractor?
Price: £750 + VAT (£900 total)