Glasgow is located to the west of Scotland on the River Clyde and is the country’s largest city, at the heart of one of the UK’s principal metropolitan areas. Its population is around 1.2m with a large catchment area that provides an easy commute for a further 500,000 people.
It was recently voted as sixth in the Top 10 rankings for the Best City to Locate a Business Today, beating Edinburgh by two places. The traditional friendliness and openness of the people ensure that all people who are new to the area are guaranteed a warm welcome.
The Edinburgh and Glasgow region is not only stunningly beautiful, but it also has a growing economy and global reputation for cultural excellence. All of which makes it an irresistible place in which to live and work.
Only 46 miles apart, or 50 minutes by train, and located in Scotland’s Central Belt, the two cities and their surrounding areas have a combined population of 3.2 million. They also have an established commitment to collaboration, aimed at enabling the two cities to compete more effectively on the world stage. And with countryside and coast in such easy reach, both offer a very high quality of life.
Major Industries
Finance & Banking
Public Administration
Science & Technology
Retail
Tourism
Being a contractor in Glasgow
Pros
- It has the largest retail centre and public transport network outside London
- Excellent transport links and short travel-to-work times
- It’s also easy to get to and from by road, rail and air
Cons
- A perception of being a little ‘tougher’ than other cities
- Some areas in need of renovation
- May seem isolated
Typical Rates of Pay
Typical rates of pay for contractors vary depending on individual skill-sets, but as a guide, an IT Project Manager in a Glasgow-based job could expect to earn around £350 to £400 per day, whilst a less specialised contractor might expect to command a day rate of around £300 to £350.
Other useful information
Most UK-wide recruitment agencies carry a high number of Scotland-based contractor jobs, so they should be easy to track down. Try all the usual options and then search for either position in Scotland in general, or specifically in Glasgow. It’s also worth keeping an eye out in the local papers – the Daily Record being the most popular. Then of course at a national level, there is The Scotsman which also has a valuable jobs section on its website and The Herald Scotland.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games were held in Glasgow and this provided a huge contracting opportunity in the region, for all types of skillsets from marketing and tourism through to IT and construction.
The city also has ambitious plans to grow tourism revenue and to boost tourism-related employment. This not only provides opportunities for contractors in the tourism sector but also in construction and other related fields. Glasgow ‘Service with Style’ is a unique public/private sector industry partnership that aims to deliver the goal of a world-class customer service experience for all of the city’s leisure and business visitors.
Specialist contractor accountants in Glasgow
The first thing contractors usually think of when looking for an accountant is to find a local ‘high street’ company, but they are rarely specialist contractor accountants, so may not have knowledge of specific schemes which can benefit you as a contractor. There are also telephone only and internet-based contractor accountants, however, we have always felt it’s far better for clients to have their own accountant that they can meet up with even if it’s just once a year to discuss their business and personal financial goals.
Tax is complicated and sometimes there is simply no substitute for meeting with your accountant face to face. Your accountant needs to understand your goals and to be able to provide the highest level of tax advice, something we just don’t feel can be archived purely via a telephone/internet only relationship. Sure we could cut costs and reduce fees by closing offices and going telephone/internet only but this would ultimately reduce the level of service we provide. It’s also interesting that most telephone and internet only companies aren’t really that much cheaper anyway.
SJD Accountancy is the UK’s largest firm of contractor accountants providing tax advice to over 15,000 contractors, all of whom work through their own limited company.
We have offices in Glasgow and across the UK. What’s more, all clients receive their own dedicated accountant who they can meet, call and email all for just £120 plus VAT per month. If you have any questions about contracting or would like any further advice please get in touch with our team and we’ll be more than happy to help.
Speak to a friendly advisor, today
We’ve been providing expert accountancy advice and helping contractors to focus on doing what they do best since 1992. To appoint SJD Accountancy, or seek help from our team, the fastest way is to call us on:
Have a specialist contractor accountant contact you.
We want you to know exactly how our service works and why we need your details. Please read our Privacy Policy before you continue.
Most Popular Pages
If you need any further help or advice, try these popular links.
