National Insurance - how some 'umbrella' contractors pay twice

Available for over a year

Hundreds of thousands of people working as contractors employed through umbrella companies are being forced to pay nearly half their income in tax and national insurance due to a loophole in employment rules. In effect they are treated as both employee and employer and pay double national insurance contributions. As a result a total of 45% of their often low pay disappears before they see it. The European Health Insurance Card allows holders to receive the same state-provided medical care as the citizens of the country you're visiting but with the EU referendum looming, where would a Leave vote leave us? After the price of oil tanked to historic lows at the start of 2016 it has now almost doubled from $27 to $50 a barrel. As a result petrol and diesel have gone up 10% from under £1 to around £1.10 at the pumps. With warnings that the price of domestic energy costs are set to rise too, is now the time to be looking for a fixed deal? And closing the gender pay gap. We report on the University giving its female academics a pay rise that will bring their salaries up to those of their male colleagues. Presenter: Paul Lewis Reporter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Alex Lewis Editor: Andrew Smith.