Recruitment Companies in Cambridge: 136 Active Firms (2026)
Recruitment companies in Cambridge place permanent, temporary and contract workers with employers across the city and its surrounding area.
Buying decisions tend to sit with HR teams, hiring managers and operations leads that need local candidate access rather than broad advisory support. The commercial model is usually vacancy-fill fees, temporary-worker margins or contractor supply, with engagements ranging from individual permanent searches to shift-based cover and rolling contractor needs. Cambridge-area operators appear to serve a mix of owner-managed employers and larger local organisations, with specialist desks shaped by employer demand. The relevant buyer is typically an employer with repeat hiring pressure, rather than a consumer-facing job board audience.
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Cambridge has 136 actively trading recruitment companies, giving the city a compact staffing market built around local employer relationships. Only 2 sit above £5M turnover, so the revenue distribution appears weighted towards small and mid-sized agencies. Newer formation is still visible: 35 were incorporated since 2022, suggesting continued entry by specialist desks and micro-agencies. The reported employment footprint is 141 people, which points to a market where many operators remain lightly staffed and depend on recruiter productivity, client concentration and access to temporary-worker pools rather than large internal workforces.
UK employment-agency rules matter more than a general operating licence for most local recruiters. GOV.UK guidance requires agencies and employment businesses to give work-seekers written terms and a key information document before work-finding begins, and to avoid charging workers for work-finding services. Temporary-staffing businesses also carry payment risk: they are responsible for paying workers for hours worked even when the hirer has not paid or signed off a timesheet. The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations sit behind those obligations, with enforcement now sitting with the Fair Work Agency.
Expansion appears likely to be uneven. Cambridge’s recruitment base tends to favour small specialist desks, so growth may come through deeper client relationships, temporary-worker pools and niche hiring coverage rather than a broad shift into larger agency groups. Compliance demands around worker documentation and payment may push some operators towards tighter processes or outsourced back-office support. Consolidation is plausible where founder-led agencies lack succession options, but the local nature of employer relationships means many firms may remain deliberately small.
What’s in the file
One row per company, 50+ columns — everything below plus each company’s verified directors, from Companies House filings.
Company data
Verified directors — included
136
Active firms
2026
35
Since 2022
Newer incorporations
2
Above £5M turnover
Cambridge cohort
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Key facts
About 1% of the trading cohort reports turnover above £5M (2 of 136 firms) — the rest sits below that revenue band.
25% of the cohort was incorporated since 2022 (35 firms), so a sizeable share is in its first few filing cycles.
GOV.UK says employment agencies and employment businesses must not charge work-seekers for work-finding services, withhold payments or wages due, or begin work-finding before giving workers a key information document and written terms.
Employment businesses supplying temporary workers are responsible for paying those workers for all hours worked, even if the hirer has not paid or authorised a timesheet.
The Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 underpin the main UK rules for recruitment agencies and employment businesses.
The Recruitment and Employment Confederation says the recruitment industry contributed £40.6 billion to the UK economy in 2025, accounting for 1.6% of UK Gross Value Added.
Temporary and contract placements accounted for 76.7% of recruitment GVA in 2025, and around 872,000 temporary or contract workers were on assignment on any given day in 2024.
Top Cambridge Recruitment companies
Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides recruitment and labour supply services for the construction industry, sourcing skilled tradespeople and site labour for contractors and projects including building, civil engineering,…
Serves construction-sector employers needing skilled trades and labour, including major construction, groundwork and civil engineering, commercial landscaping, interior fit-out, M&E, industrial…
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 37% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsFinancial Health
StrongStrong
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
HealthyHealthy · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable · -5% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed · -40% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StrongStrong
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · -40% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsProvides recruitment services for the construction industry, sourcing and placing workers in roles including trades and labour, civil engineering, plant operation, demolition, logistics, mechanical…
Serves UK construction employers needing trades, labour, plant operatives, civil engineering, M&E, site management and related staff, alongside construction workers seeking roles from labourer to…
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 12% CAGR over 2y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
HealthyHealthy · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 2 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · -55% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable · -68% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · -68% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 4 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · -21% CAGR over 3y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · 0% CAGR over 2y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides recruitment and employment agency services, sourcing and placing candidates in permanent and temporary roles. Works with employers to fill vacancies across sectors including accountancy,…
Serves employers and jobseekers across Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and East Anglia, particularly in accountancy and finance, admin and customer service, industrial/technical, marketing and sales roles.
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · Hiring · 7% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides recruitment and staffing services, connecting employers with candidates across STEM, commercial, finance and legal sectors. Advertises vacancies, sources and screens candidates, and supports…
Serves employers and jobseekers in the Cambridge job market, with sector focus on STEM, commercial and finance, and legal roles, targeting company hiring teams and candidates seeking vacancies.
Financial Health
HealthyHealthy · 2% CAGR over 5y
Location
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Provides recruitment and staffing services for businesses, sourcing candidates for permanent and interim roles across accountancy, HR, technology, marketing, office support, supply chain and…
Serves employers and job seekers across the East of England, with business clients recruiting for accountancy, HR, technology, marketing, office, supply chain, engineering and executive roles,…
Location
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Provides recruitment and executive search services, placing permanent and interim professionals across accountancy, HR, technology, marketing, office support, and supply chain roles. Also offers…
Serves employers and jobseekers across the East of England, focusing on accountancy, HR, technology, marketing, office, supply chain, engineering and executive roles.
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides recruitment services for employers and job seekers, specialising in permanent and fixed-term placements in office, HR, marketing, sales, IT and finance roles. Sources candidates, manages…
Serves employers hiring permanent and fixed-term staff, from entry-level to C-suite, across marketing, HR, sales, commercial/office and finance roles. Also supports jobseekers seeking roles in these…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Growing, Hiring · 19% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsProvides specialist recruitment services for high‑technology sectors, placing graduates, engineers and technical leaders in roles across software, electronics, mechanical engineering, mathematics,…
Serves high-tech employers and technical jobseekers across the UK, including software, electronics, engineering, maths, physics, biotech and applied science sectors, from graduates to CTO-level…
Financial Health
StableStable · -11% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 3 filingsFinancial Health
HealthyHealthy · 0% CAGR over 2y
Location
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Computed from 2 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 1y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
HealthyHealthy · -4% CAGR over 5y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StrongStrong
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed · 0% CAGR over 4y
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Computed from 3 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · 0% CAGR over 2y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsProvides recruitment and staffing services, introducing candidates for permanent roles and supplying temporary workers to client organisations. Supports employers and jobseekers across sectors…
Serves employers needing temporary and permanent staff, alongside jobseekers and international candidates, across healthcare, IT, teaching, office and administration roles.
Financial Health
StableStable · Hiring · 30% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsProvides medical recruitment services, placing locum doctors and nurses into temporary roles within NHS trusts and private healthcare organisations. Manages job listings, candidate registration,…
Serves locum doctors and nurses seeking NHS and private sector roles, alongside NHS trusts and private hospitals needing temporary medical staffing and managed recruitment support.
Financial Health
WeakWeak · -68% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Financial Health
N/AN/A
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Computed from 5 filingsProvides recruitment services for technology and STEM roles, sourcing and placing graduates, experienced professionals and executives. Works with technology companies to identify candidates, manage…
Serves UK and US technology companies of all sizes, from start-ups to global tech firms, hiring STEM graduates through senior leaders, alongside STEM graduates and experienced tech professionals…
Financial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 5% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed · 0% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed · -70% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed · -24% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 4 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 3y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed
Location
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Financial sub-scores
Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StrongStrong
Location
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Financial Health
N/AN/A
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StrongStrong · Hiring · 19% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable · -73% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak · -10% CAGR over 4y
Location
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Computed from 3 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak
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Computed from 2 filingsFinancial Health
WeakWeak
Location
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Computed from 2 filingsFinancial Health
StableStable · 0% CAGR over 1y
Location
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Computed from 5 filingsFinancial Health
DistressedDistressed
Location
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How Cambridge Recruitment companies work and how to sell to them
What they do
Cambridge recruitment firms turn employer demand into fee income, either by charging a success fee for permanent hires or by taking a margin on temporary and contract labour supplied to a hirer. The product is partly access to candidates and partly process execution: role qualification, sourcing, screening, scheduling, compliance paperwork, reference checks and timesheet administration. Specialist desks usually price around the scarcity of the role and the urgency of the vacancy, while temporary-staffing operations depend on worker availability, utilisation and payment discipline. Services are human-led, but the operating model is sensitive to database quality, recruiter activity and repeat client use.
Who they sell to
Most sell to Cambridge employers that have recurring hiring needs but not enough internal capacity to source every role themselves. Typical buyers include HR managers, operations directors, finance leads, founders and hiring managers with budget ownership for a team or location. Smaller employers may buy through referral, local reputation or direct outreach; larger organisations tend to use preferred supplier lists, rate cards, framework terms or RFP-style procurement. Sales cycles are usually short for urgent temporary cover, longer for retained search, managed supply or multi-role hiring programmes. Commercial discussions often centre on fee levels, replacement guarantees, candidate access and speed of response.
What they buy
Recruitment agencies tend to spend on tools that increase recruiter output, protect margin and keep worker records tidy. Common categories include applicant tracking systems, CRM, candidate sourcing databases, telephony, email automation, job advertising management, payroll, timesheet approval, contractor onboarding, document storage and right-to-work workflow. Agencies with temporary-worker books also buy credit control, invoice finance, accounting support, employment-law advice and outsourced payroll or back-office services. Operators adding recruiters or opening new desks may add marketing services, website work, analytics and sales training, but many local agencies will test spend against recruiter adoption and near-term vacancy flow.
Why and how to sell to them
Recruitment buyers tend to evaluate suppliers when margins tighten, a temporary desk outgrows spreadsheet processes, a new sector desk launches, or a major client asks for cleaner reporting. Other triggers include founder succession, a move from permanent placements into contract supply, leadership hires, back-office investment, or greater scrutiny around worker documents and payment duties. Outbound works better when it links the problem to fee leakage, fill rates, candidate response, cash collection or worker-payment risk. Claims need to be practical: fewer missed timesheets, faster shortlist delivery, lower admin per placement, clearer audit trails and better visibility of recruiter activity.
How this list is built
Data sources
This list is built from UK Companies House filings, XBRL accounts data, and semantic analysis of each company's public website. Revenue and headcount figures come from the most recent filed accounts; where the company has not filed, values are estimated using a model trained on filed history and peer benchmarks and are labelled as estimates.
Classification
Rather than relying solely on SIC codes, Firmbase classifies each company semantically: the company's website is crawled, an AI model reads what the company actually sells, and the company is placed into the relevant industry and subsectors. SIC codes are used as one signal but not the only one. This means a company that registered under a generic SIC code but pivoted into (for example) fintech is correctly identified as fintech, not as its original SIC category.
Freshness
The underlying company data is refreshed from Companies House continuously; filings appear in the list within days of submission. The curated list ordering is regenerated when the underlying data moves meaningfully (company count changes by more than 5%, a new company enters the top-ranked segment, or the filed-revenue numbers for the top firms change). You can see the last-updated timestamp near the top of the page.
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Frequently asked questions
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