Not Just Scaffolders. A Structured Workforce Model for Enigma

Enigma & Vital in Partnership.

From IR35 Pressures to Multi-Million Spend. No Loose Ends.

When HMRC’s focus on off-payroll working (IR35) pressed down, Enigma found themselves navigating a minefield. Many suppliers were unknowingly or unwittingly exposing risk: CIS workers being supplied where supervision, direction and control really sat with the client.

Vital stepped in as more than a supplier – becoming a partner in the truest sense.

We built:

• A dedicated support structure for Enigma’s contractor base.
• Workforce engagement across both in-house and subcontractor scaffolding teams.
• Workforce structured under employment business status, aligning with industry frameworks (NAECI, ECIA) and Union-recognised terms.
• A compliant supply chain model that addressed IR35, CIS and contractor management at scale.

We’ve shaped a framework of trust, compliance and scale – where scaffolding wasn’t reactive, but configured for future frameworks.

How we made it work.

Clarity. Partnership. Discipline.

We formed a dedicated Vital account team aligned to Enigma’s scaffolding workforce ecosystem – contractors, subcontractors, CIS vs employee status, compliance flows.

We mapped the entire supply chain: who was doing what, under what status, under what terms. We identified risk and aligned to employment business standards.

We aligned with industry-specific frameworks: the ECIA (Employment Business Membership) and NAECI working agreement protocols. All workers engaged as employees under correct conditions.

We embedded compliance into day-to-day operations: IR35 readiness, CIS understanding, subcontractor oversight – not after thought, but front of mind.

We supported a multi-million-pound spend over time, not a one-off project. This is long-term partnering in action.

This wasn’t “just supply of scaffolders”. This was strategic workforce partnership, built on clarity of status, legality of supply – and alignment to industry standards.

Challenges faced & overcome.

Results that deliver confidence.

• Enigma secured a compliant scaffolding workforce model that aligned with HMRC expectations and contractor-status realities.

• The partnering agreement delivered ongoing support – not one-off fill-ins – enhancing both internal contractor durability and the subcontractor ecosystem.

• The workforce model carried the weight of large-scale spending, backed by frameworks and employment business status, reducing exposure and improving control.

• Enigma’s supply-chain risk around CIS, contractor status and controlled labour was substantially reduced, thanks to Vital’s proactive model.

Partners since 2023

Lessons that shape the future.

When regulation tightens, and workforce status determines risk, the partner you choose matters.

• Workforce supply must always be compliant. Not just capable. Understanding CIS, IR35 and supervision/ direction/ control is essential.

• Partnering beats procurement when the spend is ongoing and the ecosystem complex.

• Formal frameworks and employment-business models (ECIA, NAECI) aren’t optional – they are enablers of control.

• A trusted partner doesn’t just fill the roles. They structure the roles, stabilise the supply chain, and future-proof the workforce.

Because when the scaffold goes up, you’re not just raising platforms – you’re elevating peace of mind. Vital delivers that.