How our household staff agency fees work
Our permanent placement fee is 15% of the candidate’s gross annual salary, subject to a minimum fee of £1,500. The fee is only payable when you hire and must be paid within fourteen days of the candidate’s start date. We explain the fee before you proceed, so you can consider it alongside salary and employer costs.
The gross annual salary is the starting point for the permanent calculation. A £40,000 salary produces a £6,000 agency fee. Where the percentage calculation is below £1,500, the minimum fee applies. Agree the salary and the applicable terms in writing before the appointment starts; do not substitute a take-home figure for the gross annual salary.
Temporary placement fees
Temporary placement fees are 20% of the candidate’s gross weekly pay, with a minimum of £75 per week. For example, £1,000 gross weekly pay produces a £200 weekly agency fee; £300 gross weekly pay produces the £75 minimum. The candidate’s pay and the agency’s fee are separate items and should be understood before cover begins.
Confirm the dates, weekly hours, gross pay and who is responsible for employing and paying the temporary staff member. Discuss any changes or extended cover before assuming that the original arrangement continues unchanged. We help clarify the appointment, but the employer should take professional advice about payroll and employment responsibilities where needed.
Temporary-to-permanent credit
Temporary fees already paid are credited against the permanent placement fee, up to the full permanent fee amount. If temporary fees exceed the permanent fee, no further fee is due and no refund is given. For a £40,000 permanent salary, the permanent fee is £6,000; £2,000 of paid temporary fees leaves £4,000 due.
If £6,000 or more in temporary fees has already been paid against that appointment, the additional permanent fee is zero. The credit does not create a cash refund for any excess. Tell us before offering a temporary candidate a permanent position so that the appropriate fee and credit can be confirmed clearly.
What is included?
The fee supports the detailed household brief, candidate search, interviews, personally taken references from previous private households, right-to-work and DBS checks before CV presentation, and communication through the shortlist and appointment. We look at the practical requirements and candidate preferences rather than simply forwarding CVs under a matching job title.
We usually send a suitable shortlist within five working days. That is a typical timetable, not a guarantee that every specialist brief can be met within a fixed period. You decide whom to interview and hire, and we help explain the relevant arrangement, responsibilities and next steps. Employment contracts, payroll and professional legal or tax advice remain distinct from the agency fee.
Our twelve-week replacement guarantee
If a permanent candidate leaves or is dismissed within twelve weeks of starting, we will find one replacement free of charge, provided the fee was paid on time and we are notified within seven days. The guarantee does not apply if the role, hours or salary change, or in cases of redundancy. We do not offer refunds.
The guarantee is for one replacement rather than a series of free searches. Contact us promptly with the relevant details so that we can assess the conditions and discuss the original brief. A changed role may require a new search rather than replacement under the old terms. Read the terms of business and obtain clarification before relying on the guarantee for your circumstances.
No fees to candidates
Berkley Clark never charges candidates a fee to register, be shortlisted or take up a placement. The household pays the agreed recruitment fee when it hires. Candidates can register their details and CV without a payment request, and we discuss relevant opportunities and their preferences before an introduction.
A transparent fee arrangement is part of a professional recruitment process. If anything about a request seems unclear, contact us directly using the telephone number or email shown on this website. Families should understand the salary, employer costs and agency fee as separate parts of the appointment budget.
Planning the complete employment budget
Your budget should consider gross salary, potential employer National Insurance, pension contributions where applicable, paid holiday, appropriate insurance and any agreed accommodation or travel arrangements. These are not all included in the agency fee and vary according to the employment arrangement. The salary guide explains the categories without claiming to calculate your personal tax position.
Our fee information is not legal or tax advice. Refer to GOV.UK and use professional payroll or employment support for your household. Confirm whether VAT or any other charge applies to your actual quotation rather than inferring it from a percentage alone; we have not invented a VAT status for the business.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the permanent fee?
It is 15% of the candidate’s gross annual salary, with a £1,500 minimum, payable within fourteen days of the start date. A £40,000 salary gives a £6,000 fee. Confirm the agreed terms before hiring and budget separately for salary and employer costs.
What is the temporary minimum?
The temporary fee is 20% of gross weekly pay, with a £75 weekly minimum. That minimum applies if the percentage calculation is lower. Discuss the weekly schedule, gross pay and employment arrangement before cover begins so that the fee and salary are clear.
What if temporary credits exceed the permanent fee?
No further permanent fee is due and no refund is given. Credits are capped at the full permanent fee amount. If a £6,000 permanent fee is covered by £8,000 in temporary fees already paid, the additional fee is zero rather than a £2,000 refund.
Do you offer refunds?
No. We offer one free replacement under the conditional twelve-week guarantee instead. The fee must have been paid on time and we must be notified within seven days. Changed role, hours or salary and redundancy are excluded; the guarantee does not provide cash repayment.
Are candidates charged?
No candidate is ever charged a fee by Berkley Clark. Registration, consideration and placement are free to the candidate. The household pays the agreed recruitment fee when it hires, and we discuss opportunities with candidates before presenting their CV to a private family.