Recruitment agency companies in the Derby area
178 recruitment agency companies have a registered office in the Derby area (DE postcodes), and 48 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £37,441 in cash and owed £18,564 at year end.
The numbers
| Measure | Derby | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Registered companies | 178 | 27,434 |
| Formed in 2025 or 2026 | 48 (27%) | 22% |
| Being struck off or in liquidation | 22 (12%) | 13% |
| Typical cash at year end | £37,44140 accounts | £30,794 |
| Typical amount owed at year end | £18,56483 accounts | £29,072 |
| Typical number of employees | 183 accounts | 1 |
What this means if you’re starting one
You can start without much equipment
The typical recruitment agency company in the Derby area (DE postcodes) carries £2,110 of equipment and other fixed assets after depreciation, lower than 94% of UK industries.
Most of the cost of entry is time and running costs rather than kit, so a small test is cheap.
Most of these businesses are run by one or two people
The typical recruitment agency company in the Derby area (DE postcodes) reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 4 or more (83 filings).
You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.
Most of your competition will be other newcomers
27% of the 178 recruitment agency companies in the Derby area (DE postcodes) were formed in 2025–26, against 22% of all companies in the Derby area (DE postcodes).
New rivals are arriving faster than in most trades, so your customers already have fresh options. Being new is not a difference on its own.
Planning a business like this in Derby?
Answer two questions about your customer and what makes you different, and get a free three-week plan to test the idea before you spend real money. No account or card.
Check my ideaWhat these figures can’t tell you
Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.
Recruitment agency in other places
- Leicester329 companies
- Nottingham317 companies
- Northampton286 companies
- London6,543 companies
- Birmingham961 companies
- Manchester787 companies
- Leeds574 companies
- Chelmsford481 companies
Other businesses in Derby
- Buy-to-let landlord2,776 companies
- Business consultancy1,855 companies
- Haulage1,106 companies
- Online shop990 companies
- IT support or consultancy915 companies
- Dog grooming and other personal services873 companies
- Hair and beauty salon748 companies
- Takeaway and street food722 companies