Data last verified: 5 November 2026. Figures re-checked against their primary sources under the Whito rolling re-verification programme.
Finding
UK employment placement agencies more than trebled between 2010 and 2026, from 4,915 to 16,745, while temporary employment agencies fell from 13,210 to 10,455.
Source: Whito, whito.co.uk/recruitment-agencies/research/uk-recruitment-industry, 2026-11-05. Free to quote with a link to this page.
Last Updated on November 6, 2026
Short answer: the UK had 16,745 employment placement agencies registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the Office for National Statistics. That is more than three times the 2010 figure (4,915) and 1.9% up on 2021 (16,430). 84.6% employ fewer than ten people. London has the most per head, 51.4 per 100,000 residents; Northern Ireland has the fewest, 6.2.
This page uses official counts you can rerun yourself, the rules that apply to the trade, and Whito’s published research. The regional and change figures are Whito’s calculations.
The key figures
| Figure | Value | Source and date |
|---|---|---|
| Employment placement agencies (UK, SIC 78109) | 16,745 | ONS UK Business Counts, March 2026 (official statistic) |
| Change since 2010 | +240.7% (from 4,915) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Change since 2021 | +1.9% (from 16,430) | Same dataset (Whito calculation) |
| Fewer than 10 employees | 14,160 (84.6%) | Same dataset |
| 250 or more employees | 100 | Same dataset |
| Most per head | London, 51.4 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
| Fewest per head | Northern Ireland, 6.2 per 100,000 residents | Whito calculation, ONS data |
How big are recruitment agencies?
| Employees | Businesses | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 9 | 14,160 | 84.6% |
| 10 to 49 | 1,890 | 11.3% |
| 50 to 249 | 595 | 3.6% |
| 250 or more | 100 | 0.6% |
| Total | 16,745 |
Source: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 78109 “Activities of employment placement agencies”, 2026, via Nomis (dataset NM_142_1). Counts are rounded to the nearest 5, so bands may not add exactly to the total.
Where recruitment agencies are based
| Region or nation | 2010 | 2021 | 2026 | Per 100,000 residents | Change 2010 to 2026 | Change 2021 to 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1,285 | 4,555 | 4,685 | 51.4 | +264.6% | +2.9% |
| South East | 945 | 2,890 | 2,970 | 30.6 | +214.3% | +2.8% |
| East of England | 515 | 1,875 | 1,985 | 30.0 | +285.4% | +5.9% |
| North West | 400 | 1,610 | 1,620 | 20.8 | +305.0% | +0.6% |
| West Midlands | 395 | 1,300 | 1,290 | 20.8 | +226.6% | -0.8% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 325 | 985 | 1,075 | 19.0 | +230.8% | +9.1% |
| South West | 340 | 1,035 | 1,110 | 18.8 | +226.5% | +7.2% |
| East Midlands | 275 | 960 | 765 | 15.0 | +178.2% | -20.3% |
| North East | 95 | 305 | 295 | 10.7 | +210.5% | -3.3% |
| Wales | 105 | 280 | 310 | 9.8 | +195.2% | +10.7% |
| Scotland | 210 | 545 | 525 | 9.5 | +150.0% | -3.7% |
| Northern Ireland | 25 | 80 | 120 | 6.2 | +380.0% | +50.0% |
| United Kingdom | 4,915 | 16,430 | 16,745 | 24.1 | +240.7% | +1.9% |
Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates. Per-head and change figures are Whito calculations. A business is counted once, where it is registered, which is not always where it works.
What stands out
- London has about 8.3 times as many per head as Northern Ireland (51.4 against 6.2 per 100,000 residents).
- Fastest growth since 2010: Northern Ireland (+380.0%). Slowest: Scotland (+150.0%).
- Fewer businesses than in 2021: North East (-3.3%), East Midlands (-20.3%), West Midlands (-0.8%), Scotland (-3.7%).
- The data cannot say why counts rise or fall. New firms, firms crossing the VAT threshold, mergers, closures and businesses registering elsewhere all move the count.
Rules that apply
<strong>Temporary staffing is shrinking as permanent placement grows.</strong> The ONS counts temporary employment agencies separately (code 78200). There were 10,455 in March 2026, down from 13,210 in 2010 and 11,355 in 2021, while placement agencies (78109, this page) more than trebled. 335 temporary agencies employ 250 people or more.
There is no licence for recruitment agencies in Great Britain. The Fair Work Agency, launched on 7 April 2026, brought together the Employment Agency Standards Inspectorate, the Gangmasters and Labour Abuse Authority and the Director of Labour Market Enforcement. The Recruitment and Employment Confederation said there was no change to compliance duties on day one.
Market conditions: the KPMG and REC Report on Jobs for July 2026 (published 10 August 2026) said permanent placements stopped falling, ending a 45-month downturn, and temporary billings rose for a fourth month.
What Whito’s research adds
<strong>AI assistants rarely agree on an agency.</strong> On 3 September 2026 Whito asked ChatGPT, Gemini and Google AI Mode for the best recruitment agency in six UK cities. They named 75 agencies, and 61 of them (81%) were named by only one engine. See Which recruitment agencies does AI recommend?
What we do not know yet
- How many people work in the trade. This page counts businesses, not workers.
- The smallest sole traders. Businesses that are neither VAT registered nor employers are not in the ONS count.
- Turnover. We only publish figures we can check at source.
Method and limits
- Business counts: ONS UK Business Counts, enterprises, SIC 2007 code 78109, all legal statuses, March 2026 snapshot, with 2010 and 2021 for comparison, via the Nomis API (dataset NM_142_1), read 5 November 2026.
- Population: ONS mid-2025 estimates via Nomis (NM_2002_1).
- Counts are rounded to the nearest 5 by ONS. Business counts are March 2026; population is mid-2025.
Compare with other industries: see UK trade businesses in 2026: ten industries compared, one table with each count, its date and the change since 2010 and 2021.
Common questions
How many recruitment agencies are there in the UK?
16,745 registered for VAT or PAYE in March 2026, according to the ONS (SIC 78109).
Is the number of recruitment agencies growing?
It rose 1.9% between 2021 and 2026 and rose 240.7% since 2010 (Whito calculation from ONS data).
Which part of the UK has the most recruitment agencies?
By number, London (4,685). Per head, London, with 51.4 per 100,000 residents.
Are most recruitment agencies small?
Yes. 14,160 of 16,745 (84.6%) employ fewer than ten people.
Sources (opened 5 November 2026)
- ONS UK Business Counts via Nomis, NM_142_1: https://www.nomisweb.co.uk/api/v01/dataset/NM_142_1
- ONS mid-2025 population estimates via Nomis, NM_2002_1
- REC, Fair Work Agency launches: https://www.rec.uk.com/our-view/news/fair-work-agency-launches
- KPMG and REC, Report on Jobs (10 Aug 2026): https://kpmg.com/uk/en/media/press-releases/2026/08/kpmg-and-rec-uk-report-on-jobs.html
If your business is named here and you think we have a fact wrong, email hello@whito.co.uk and we will check it and correct it. If you want to respond, send us a statement and we will publish it alongside. Full detail: Corrections, right of reply and removals.
