Which job would you choose?

[RachelGreensHair]

Job 1
Fixed for 12 months.
Civil service.
Attend office 1 or 2 times a week so commuting costs to pay.
Payroll done same as permanent employees via PAYE. Paid for sickness and holidays.
This is my current role, have one person to line manage who is a PITA and we've had to get HR involved several times.
£60,180 per year gross.

Job 2
Fixed for 12 months.
Civil service.
Remote working, no commuting costs
Paid inside IR35 via an umbrella company that does all the deductions and charges £12pw.
No line management.
Role connected to a previous job I had which I loved.
£401.90 per day, usual contract T&Cs

Have you looked at a umbrella calculator to compare take home pay?
Umbrella calculator
Pay-wise there doesn’t seem to be much difference, but would the first one give you a Civil Service pension? Would the umbrella allow you to put more in your pension through salary sacrifice (not all do)
It sounds like you would enjoy the second job more?
I would also consider what your prospects would be after 12 months.

Whichever gave me best prospects for future roles. 12 months is not long.

Are you a permanent CS or just on a FTC for 12 months as a civil servant? Ie would you still have a job in CS at the end of the 12 months or would you be out of a job?

If it's permanent I'd probably stick with that - there are PITA people in every job - but if not I'd chase the money and do the contracting role.

The second job looks like a lot more money to me and it seems like you might enjoy it more. But I would also factor in what happens after the twelve months and which would leave you in the better situation. I would be put off by a fully remote job though, it seems a bit isolating and more of a challenge to integrate and settle in.

Whichever one you'll enjoy more and prepare you for the next step, seeing as 12 months isn't very long I'd be looking ahead to your next move. (So I'd probably go option 2 assuming you think you'll get work fine soon after).