UK Recruitment Glossary
IR35
In recruiter context
Inside IR35 means HMRC treats you as employed for tax purposes — full PAYE, no expenses, more tax. Outside IR35 means genuine self-employment with all the tax efficiency. Since 2021 the client (not the contractor) decides the status for medium and large UK employers. If you're contracting in the UK, the IR35 determination is the single biggest line in your take-home calculation.
Related terms
DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion)
An umbrella term for hiring practices that broaden candidate pools and reduce bias.
Auto-Enrolment
UK requirement that employers automatically enrol eligible employees into a workplace pension — 5% e…
Cold Application
Applying to a job without any prior contact, referral, or recruiter conversation.
Severance
A payment when employment ends, often above the statutory minimum and usually wrapped into a settlem…