Thinking of adopting a consultancy model?

Consultancy is a different model to recruitment, with greater opportunity but also greater responsibility.

Lawspeed’s consultancy agreements give you the right legal framework to deliver projects, protect your business, and stay compliant with IR35.

Lawspeed: Specialist contracts for staff integration and deployment since 1997

Why consultancy?

Why recruitment agencies are moving into consultancy

Higher margins

Consultancy agreements allow you to price for delivery of a service, not supply of labour.

Opportunities

Win business on government frameworks, bypass PSL restrictions, and take on projects recruitment contracts can’t cover.

IR35 flexibility

As the consultancy, you control status decisions and IR35 compliance.

Client-led

Many clients now expect consultancy terms, not recruitment supply.

Why it's different from recruitment

Consultancy is not recruitment. And that changes everything.

You take responsibility for the service delivered, not just supplying a worker.
Different legal and compliance obligations (no Conduct Regs or AWR).
Different insurances and risk profile.
Different charging model (project, fixed, or T&M pricing rather than cost + margin).
IR35 responsibility lies with you as the consultancy.

This creates both opportunity and risk.

Get it right, and consultancy can transform your business model. Get it wrong, and you risk disputes to unanticipated problems. The key is having the right advice, contracts and processes.

IR35 and compliance

Protect against IR35 risk.

With consultancy contracts, you have clarity on your role and protection if challenged.

Lawspeed ensures your terms reflect a genuine consultancy arrangement, not recruitment dressed up as consultancy.

Under consultancy, you are the client for all purposes, including IR35.
Lawspeed contracts ensure this is documented clearly.
Contracts contain draft project descriptions/SoW.
Avoid the common traps: recruitment-style behaviours, wrong contracts, or mixed models that invite HMRC challenge.

The Lawspeed consultancy contract

Framework agreements designed for consultancy success.

This model ensures you’re legally distinct from recruitment supply, while giving you full control of client work and compliance.

Here’s what you get:

Consultancy agreement with your client: defines the services and protects your agency commercially
Sub-consultancy agreement with your contractors: clear terms, including draft SoW form, so you can engage specialists securely.
Click acceptance built in with Proterms. Fast, simple sign-off with no e-signatures.
Framework structure. Issue once, then cover multiple projects.
Auto-updating. Always aligned with latest legal changes.
Issue and track functions. All agreements securely managed, with ProTerms, if you choose to use it.

The original recruitment law specialists

Why recruitment businesses trust Lawspeed

Over 25 years specialising in recruitment law

Trusted by over 1000+ UK recruitment businesses

Ongoing compliance updates built in

The ultimate solution

Separate yourself from recruitment and secure new opportunities.

Consultancy agreements unlock higher-margin projects and open the door to frameworks and clients that recruitment contracts cannot.

With Lawspeed’s specialist framework, you can operate safely, compliantly, and profitably.

Consultancy FAQs

What is the difference between a recruitment agreement and a consultancy agreement?

Under a recruitment agreement you supply a worker to the client; under a consultancy agreement you supply the required work service to your client, utilising your worker or contractor. That means different responsibilities, risks, and legal frameworks.

Why do I need separate terms for recruitment and consultancy?

Recruitment and consultancy are different services, with different responsibilities, risks and compliance obligations. Using the wrong terms, recruitment terms for a consultancy service or consultancy terms for a recruitment supply, not only loses you the advantage but risks exposure to incorrect tax or liability.

How does this affect IR35?

As the consultancy, you are treated as the client for IR35 purposes. Where you are required to do so, you issue the SDS and make the assessment — Lawspeed contracts make sure this is documented correctly.

Do I need both agreements?

Yes. You’ll need a consultancy agreement with your client and a sub-consultancy agreement with your contractor(s). Lawspeed provides both.

Do these contracts auto-update with legislation?

Yes. All Lawspeed contracts include automatic updates as standard, so you’ll never be caught out by changes.

Do I need to use ProTerms?

No. Both contracts can be used with or without ProTerms. If you do use ProTerms, you can issue, track, and store everything in one place for extra efficiency.

What does ProTerms add?

The contract comes with ProTerms as default, Lawspeed’s contract automation platform. This means you can:

Create your contract with built in automation
Issue your contract and track acceptance in real time
Full audit trail, all in one place