Start a temporary staffing agency

Local businesses needing short-term or seasonal cover, such as hotels, warehouses, event companies and food producers.

You charge the client an hourly rate and pay the worker a lower hourly rate. The difference covers your costs and profit.

• Quick, reliable organising and scheduling
• Staying calm under pressure
• Clear communication with workers and clients
• Comfortable with payroll and basic admin

• Agency worker rules, right to work checks and holiday pay need care, so check the current rules on gov.uk
• Employer's liability insurance and public liability insurance are likely to be needed
• Cash flow is a real risk because you pay workers weekly but clients may pay in 30 days or more
• Some sectors, such as agriculture, food processing and shellfish gathering, need a licence from the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority, so check before supplying workers
• Data protection and UK GDPR obligations for worker records

Startup costs are typically around £3,000 to £15,000, depending on your setup, insurance and how much cash you keep back to pay workers weekly before clients pay you. These are estimates, so build your own budget.

Monthly revenue is typically around £2,000 to £10,000, depending on how many workers you supply, the sectors you serve and how many hours they work. Revenue is not profit, as you pay workers and cover running costs from it.

Check agency worker rules, right to work checks and holiday pay on gov.uk. Also check insurance needs, UK GDPR for worker records, and whether supplying sectors such as agriculture, food processing or shellfish gathering needs a Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority licence.