Recruitment agencies to acquire in the North West

Name: Recruitment agencies to acquire in the North West
Creator: Firmbase
License: https://firmbase.co/terms

Updated 9 November 2026

Looking to acquire a recruitment agency in the North West? Firmbase ranks 570 recruitment agencies using public company information to help buyers prioritise firms for research and potential outreach. The Approach Score ranks firms using public signals including director age and tenure, ownership, business scale, financial strength and recent changes. These firms are not listed for sale, and the ranking does not indicate that an owner is considering a sale.

The median firm has 13 staff and has been in business for 9 years; 3 firms are owned by groups that have acquired several firms in this sector. Looking beyond the North West? Explore the full UK list of recruitment agencies.

570

Firms

UK 5,841

13%

Every director 55+

UK 17%

37%

Held 75%+ by one person

UK 37%

Median years in business

UK 10

Median headcount

UK 12

£500k to £1m

Median turnover band

UK £500k to £1m · includes our estimates

3 firms owned by 1 group that has bought several firms in this sector. That is 1% of this list, against 1% across the UK.

Towns with the most firms

Manchester 309 firms
Liverpool 90 firms

The first 25 firms, in Approach Score order

Rank	Firm	Approach Score	The facts behind the score
1	Arras Services Heywood, Lancashire	Approach Score 82/100	Director aged 65-69 · in post since 2002 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £324k Net assets £118k (Mar 2026) Director resigned Feb 2026 Company no. 04346971 · Companies House arrasservices.co.uk
2	Harvey Mcqueen Bolton, Lancashire	Approach Score 80/100	Director aged 65-69 · in post since 2016 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 23 staff · turnover est. £536k Net assets £126k (Jan 2025) Company no. 04646617 · Companies House harveymcqueen.com
3	Hexagon Recruitment Runcorn, Cheshire	Approach Score 80/100	Director aged 65-69 · in post since 1993 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 166 staff · turnover est. £2.5m Net assets £192k (Mar 2025) Charge satisfied Mar 2025 Company no. 02817473 · Companies House hexagonrecruitment.co.uk
4	DR Louise MAY Birkenhead, Wirral	Approach Score 79/100	In post since 2013 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 53 staff · turnover £2.7m Net assets £507k (Dec 2025) Charge satisfied Feb 2026 Company no. 08682364 · Companies House
5	The Staff Agency Preston, Lancashire	Approach Score 78/100	1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged 60-64 · longest in post since 1999 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 71 staff · turnover est. £966k Net assets £76k (Aug 2025) Company no. 03822996 · Companies House thestaffagency.co.uk
6	Linda Taylors Manchester	Approach Score 77/100	Longest in post since 2003 Independent More about this firm 16 staff · turnover est. £356k Net assets £88k (Mar 2026) Company no. 04820749 · Companies House lindataylors.co.uk
7	VRS Recruitment Sale, Cheshire	Approach Score 76/100	Director aged 60-64 · in post since 2002 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 32 staff · turnover est. £2m Net assets £1.6m (Jul 2025) Company no. 04058078 · Companies House vrsrecruitment.com
8	Definition Cheadle, Cheshire A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 76/100	We hold older figures than Companies House Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2004 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 33 staff · turnover est. £449k Net assets -£157k · newer accounts made up to Mar 2025 Director resigned Mar 2026 Company no. 05199881 · Companies House earlyyearsrecruitment.co.uk
9	Exceptional People Altrincham, Cheshire	Approach Score 76/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2014 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £817k Net assets £627k (Mar 2026) Company no. 08843613 · Companies House exceptional-people.co.uk
10	Land and SEA Resources Ulverston, Cumbria	Approach Score 76/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2010 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 13 staff · turnover est. £2.9m Net assets £1.1m (Sep 2025) Company no. 07389797 · Companies House landandsearesources.co.uk
11	Cheshire Quality Care Manchester	Approach Score 75/100	Director aged 65-69 · in post since 2012 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 14 staff · turnover est. £380k Net assets -£6k (Mar 2025) Company no. 07973050 · Companies House
12	Thirty ONE Human Services Salford	Approach Score 75/100	1 director aged 65-69, 1 aged 60-64 · longest in post since 2019 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 37 staff · turnover est. £301k Net assets £49k (Aug 2025) Company no. 12144055 · Companies House
13	RWW Liverpool, Merseyside A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 74/100	Director aged 60-64 · in post since 2024 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £487k Net assets £102k (Feb 2025) Company no. 15478239 · Companies House
14	Driver Hire Preston Preston	Approach Score 74/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2013 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 16 staff · turnover est. £767k Net assets £82k (Mar 2025) Company no. 08733239 · Companies House driverhire.co.uk
15	SABIVALLEY Healthcare Preston	Approach Score 73/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2016 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 62 staff · turnover est. £743k Net assets £387k (May 2025) Company no. 10197550 · Companies House sabivalleyhealthcare.co.uk
16	Boss Model Management Manchester	Approach Score 73/100	Director aged 65-69 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 21 staff · turnover est. £1.3m Net assets £1.7m (Nov 2025) Company no. 02283571 · Companies House bossmodelmanagement.co.uk
17	RED Apple Education Wirral, Merseyside	Approach Score 73/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2014 Corporate owner More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £423k Net assets £31k (Aug 2025) Director resigned Sep 2025 Company no. 08954169 · Companies House redappleeducation.co.uk
18	Active Resource Services Stockport, Cheshire	Approach Score 73/100	1 director aged 60-64, 1 aged 45-49 · longest in post since 1999 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £211k Net assets £10k (Dec 2025) Company no. 03696749 · Companies House activeresourceservices.co.uk
19	Tigon Management Services Burnley, Lancashire A director sits on 4 or more companies	Approach Score 73/100	We hold older figures than Companies House 1 director aged 70 or over, 1 aged 65-69 · longest in post since 2006 2 individuals hold 75%+ · independent More about this firm 7 staff · turnover est. £306k Net assets £85k · newer accounts made up to Dec 2025 Company no. 05537075 · Companies House
20	P&R Health Care Solutions Manchester	Approach Score 73/100	2 directors aged 60-64 · longest in post since 2006 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 17 staff · turnover est. £239k Net assets £15k (Dec 2025) Charge satisfied Jan 2025 Company no. 05928211 · Companies House pandrcare.co.uk/about
21	Finlay Jude Recruitment Rochdale	Approach Score 73/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2012 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 10 staff · turnover est. £1.3m Net assets £217k (Aug 2025) Director resigned Jul 2025 Company no. 08166365 · Companies House finlayjudeassociates.co.uk
22	Oliver Brookes Preston, Lancashire	Approach Score 73/100	Longest in post since 2015 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 5 staff · turnover est. £315k Net assets £129k (Oct 2025) Company no. 09829633 · Companies House oliver-brookes.com
23	Noodle Management Services Warrington	Approach Score 73/100	Director aged 55-59 · in post since 2015 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 8 staff · turnover est. £168k Net assets £2 (Apr 2025) Director resigned May 2026 Company no. 09565983 · Companies House
24	Dhrb Manchester	Approach Score 72/100	Director aged 60-64 · in post since 2008 2 individuals hold 50%+ · independent More about this firm 65 staff · turnover est. £153k Net assets £317k (Jun 2026) Charge satisfied Jan 2026 Company no. 06690509 · Companies House
25	Snowdon Recruitment Chorley, Lancashire	Approach Score 71/100	2 directors aged 60-64 · longest in post since 2017 1 individual holds 75%+ · independent More about this firm 6 staff · turnover est. £451k Net assets £71k (Nov 2025) Company no. 10832276 · Companies House snowdonrecruitment.co.uk

545 more firms are in the list, in Approach Score order.

You're seeing the first 25. Buy all 570 for £799 + VAT, with the facts behind each score, director names, shareholders and financials.

Buy the list of all 570 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders

Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.

What's in the file

One row per firm, in Approach Score order, as Excel + CSV.

It holds the facts behind each score, points for each part of the score, financials with dates, publicly available contact details, where identified, director names and named shareholders.

Some people with significant control appear as Other individual, with no further detail. Director email lookups are not included.

How this list is filtered

5 or more staff, from filed headcount or our estimate where none is filed.
Registered office in the North West.

See every filter on the UK list

How this list is built

The Approach Score ranks firms mainly on public Companies House information about owner tenure and age, ownership, size, financial strength and recent register changes.

Firms with higher scores appear first in each list.

Use the ranking to order research, then check each business directly.

Read how the Approach Score works

What it does not mean

No firm here is for sale, and the score says nothing about any owner's plans.

At least 95% of the firms where we hold directors had them checked in or after November 2026.

What we do not cover

Regulatory information is not included in this list. Buyers should check the relevant register as part of their due diligence. Check conduct requirements with the Fair Work Agency or Northern Ireland's Employment Agency Inspectorate. For work needing gangmaster licensing, check the Fair Work Agency's public register of licensed labour providers.

Why age bands but no people's names

Age bands come from the month and year of birth on Companies House. This page shows no exact ages and no people's names. Both come with the purchased list. The band edges from 45 to 65 are the ages where the score changes. A row shows no age bands when a director's surname is in the firm's name, its group's name or its website. Those directors' ages still count towards the score.

Is this your firm?

You can ask us to take it off every acquisition page, and out of every list we sell after that. Give us your name and work email, and we send you a link to confirm. If your email address is on the firm's own website domain, the firm comes off once you confirm. If it is not, a person reviews your request first. A list already sold stays with its buyer.

To have personal data erased, see our privacy policy.

Other areas

UK Liverpool Manchester East Midlands East of England London North East Northern Ireland Scotland South East South West Wales West Midlands Yorkshire and The Humber

Related sectors

Marketing and creative agencies

The standard Firmbase list

Recruitment Companies in the UK

Buy the list of all 570 firms, with director names, ages and shareholders

Each row comes with the facts behind its score, financials with dates and contact details.