[acallaghan]

> Also note the OP said he was a contractor. There is a fuzzy but real distinction between contractors and consultants. A contractor is typically treated like a FT employee, without the permanent job.

Yeah bang on - I'm treated as a full-time employee, just no sick pay, national insurance (state pension), redundancy, paternity leave, etc. Sacrificing these benefits pays around 50% more, but you have to file your own tax.

The biggest problem I had was last year when I caught a bug and was out for a week, cost me £2000 - something you often take for granted in a permanent job.