Nonstop November – reflections on a hectic month!

At Liquid Friday, every month keeps us on our toes, but November? November was something else entirely! From high-stakes legislation updates to festive celebrations, it’s been a whirlwind, and we’re still catching our breath! 

Budget Buzz

The month started with digesting and dissecting Labour’s Halloween Budget. While most were finishing off their pumpkin spice lattes, we were diving into discussions around the key announcements, including the headline increase to Employer’s National Insurance and lowering of the secondary threshold. We’ll be working with our agency partners throughout 2025 to help them navigate these changes and mitigate the impact as much as possible. 

 What really caught our attention though, was the government’s surprise announcement of new regulations to tackle non-compliance in the umbrella industry – a move which we whole-heartedly support! Our CEO shared his thoughts on this long overdue shake-up in his blog, which you can read here. 

Award Season Madness

November was jam-packed with awards events, kicking off with the prestigious Contracting Awards where we were over the moon to take home the award for Best Umbrella Company (over 3000 clients).
The goodwill we’ve received from our clients and industry peers has been overwhelming and humbling. We’d like to thank everyone for the kind words, the celebratory emojis on LinkedIn, and the high-fives (both virtual and in-person!)

Next on the calendar was the REC Awards, where we proudly attended as a business partner and category sponsor. It was an honour to present the awards for Temporary Recruiter of the Year and Diversity Initiative of the Year, and really inspiring to see excellence in recruitment being recognised. 

On the same evening no less, we were at the Hampshire Business Awards where we were a finalist for the Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity award. While we didn’t come away with the trophy this time, we had a fantastic night celebrating incredible achievements and initiatives across our region.

Away from awards season, there was plenty going on elsewhere. During November we also signed the Armed Forces Covenant; such a proud moment, cementing our commitment to those serving or who have served.

We rounded off the month in style with the Liquid Friday Christmas Party. After a month like this, there was plenty to celebrate – let’s just say the corks were popping! 

‘Tis the Season

Reflecting on November, we’re immensely proud of what we’ve achieved – but there’s no time to rest on our laurels.

As we step into December, we’re laser-focused on doing what we do best – getting everyone paid, smoothly and efficiently, over the Christmas period. Whether it’s contractors braving the cold on site, or agencies working overtime to place candidates, we’re here to make your lives a little easier.

Fuelled by chocolate and mince pies, we’re here all through the Christmas period, except the official bank holidays. For our full opening hours and payroll deadlines click here.