Striding Ahead: Introducing the all-new Stride 2.0

There’s no denying it – change is in the air for our sector. With umbrella regulation set to come into force in April 2026, the countdown has begun for a new era of compliance, transparency and trust.

But as the industry evolves, so must the technology that underpins it. Will your umbrella supplier be ready to keep pace?  

At Liquid Friday, we’ve always believed that progress and partnership go hand in hand. That’s why we’ve taken a bold step forward, redeveloping our Stride platform from the ground up, and we’re proud to unveil Stride 2.0.

Next-generation tools for a new era of umbrella working

Stride 2.0 is more than an update – it’s a complete evolution of how agencies interact with their umbrella provider. Designed for speed, clarity and total visibility, the new Stride gives recruiters instant access to the tools and insights they need to move faster and work smarter.

Instant pay illustrations

You asked, we delivered. With the brand-new take-home pay calculator, you can instantly generate and send accurate umbrella pay projections. Simply input hours, assignment rate, tax code, pension, and holiday pay – Stride does the rest.

Need to compare PAYE, or check the uplifted umbrella rate? Easy. You can even generate a full report and send it straight to your candidate by SMS, complete with their pay illustration, contract, and application form.

It’s the fastest, smoothest way for contractors to join an umbrella company, ever!

Real-time referrals and onboarding 

Stride 2.0 streamlines the referral process, letting you send candidates directly through the platform in seconds. Each referral flows seamlessly into our CRM, automatically kicking off the onboarding process.

Better still, you get real-time visibility over every step. From referral to readiness for payroll, you can see your candidates’ progress 24/7 — no chasing, no uncertainty, just total transparency.

The new Compliance Hub

In a tightening regulatory landscape, compliance has never been more critical. The all-new Stride Compliance Hub puts every audit trail and verification record in one convenient, central place.

Built to FCSA standards and fully integrated with VeriPAYE, the Hub gives you unrivalled oversight across your entire contractor base. Every PAYE umbrella payslip is audited in near real-time, with live status updates available directly from your dashboard.

Need to verify a payment or access records? It’s all there – payslips, KIDs, and RTI data at your fingertips.

Custom notifications to your inbox

Recruitment moves fast, and Stride moves with you. You can now set your own notification preferences, choosing exactly how and when you receive updates on referrals, onboarding, or compliance.

Stride keeps you in control, informed, and always one step ahead.

Smart Redeployment

Candidate redeployment remains one of the biggest challenges recruiters face — and Stride 2.0 tackles it head-on.

Drawing on live data from our contractor app, Stride gives you predictive insights into when a worker is approaching the end of an assignment. This allows you to act early, redeploy efficiently, and maintain strong contractor engagement – keeping everyone, including your clients, happy.

Every feature in the new Stride has been designed to make your job easier, faster, and more effective. From a Market Rate Analysis tool to benchmark competitiveness, to intuitive dashboards that keep everything connected, Stride 2.0 brings next-generation intelligence to your fingertips.

And best of all? For Liquid Friday agency partners, it’s completely free to use.

Getting Started

As the industry gears up for a new regulatory era, Stride 2.0 puts you firmly in control – with faster onboarding, deeper insight, and total confidence in compliance. It’s everything you need to stay ahead in a fast-changing market, powered by the reliability and partnership of Liquid Friday.

To find out more, or to see Stride 2.0 in action, get in touch with your Liquid Friday account manager, or contact our team to arrange a walkthrough.