Local on-site HR support for small firms
Visit local employers to sort recruitment, inductions and staff issues face to face, on regular days or by project.
- £500-3k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Estimates for a small start in the UK, not guarantees.
Official data
14,284 UK companies in this field, 27% registered in the last 2 years
SIC 78300 “Human resources provision and management of human resources functions”. Source: Companies House, November 2026.
What it is
Hands-on HR support at your clients' workplaces: running interviews, setting up inductions, mediating staff disputes, and holding meetings alongside managers.
Your first three steps
- Choose a travel area you can cover easily and list the types of local employers you want to work with
- Arrange professional indemnity and public liability insurance and set up as a sole trader or limited company
- Meet local chambers of commerce, business networks and accountants who can introduce clients, and offer a short on-site HR health check
Who pays
Local small and medium employers who prefer a familiar face, such as care homes, garages, restaurants and manufacturers.
How it makes money
Day rates or half-day rates for regular visits, plus fixed fees for recruitment campaigns or one-off projects such as a team restructure.
Skills that help
- Confident handling of difficult conversations
- Interviewing and recruitment experience
- Building trust with owners and managers
Watch out for
- Professional indemnity insurance, as advice given in person still carries risk
- Recruitment work can have its own rules, so check whether placing staff for a fee changes what you need to do
- You are giving HR advice, not legal advice, so know when to suggest a solicitor
- Handling staff personal data means checking your data protection duties, which may include registering with the ICO
- Travel time is unpaid, so price visits to cover it
Deep research report · UK
Everything you need to start: local on-site HR support for small firms
Researched with live web search for United Kingdom: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start an on-site HR business?
Startup costs are typically around £500 to £3,000, depending on insurance, travel, a basic website and materials. These are estimates, so factor in professional indemnity cover and how far you plan to travel.
How much can an on-site HR adviser earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on how many regular clients and project days you win. Travel time is unpaid, so price visits to cover it.
What rules should I check before offering on-site HR support?
Things to check: professional indemnity insurance, whether placing staff for a fee changes what you need to do, where to suggest a solicitor since HR advice is not legal advice, and your data protection duties, which may include ICO registration.
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