You can actually fire without cause in the UK within the first 2 years of employment. Until that period elapses they have no recourse unless they can show disc

You can actually fire without cause in the UK within the first 2 years of employment. Until that period elapses they have no recourse unless they can show discrimination on a protected ground (e.g race, pregnancy). However, most UK employers would use a probation period or initial fixed term contract (true employee with a fixed end date), rather than a non employee contractor. It is unlikely your company hired the guy as a contractor because the set up for becoming a self employed contractor (your bank will hate you, an umbrella company takes 10% of your income, you have to register as self employed abd fill out extra tax forms for ever), would probably kill a hire, if you weren't hiring an existing contractor, who wouldn't hang around to perm.