What Recruitment Agencies Actually Charge to Place a Finance Hire in 2026

UK recruitment agencies charge 15-30% of a finance hire's first-year salary in 2026, with 15-20% standard for mainstream roles and 20-30% for specialist or senior finance positions (Mason Bedford, 2026). The exact rate depends on the fee model, the seniority of the role and the region. This guide sets out what you pay and why.

Key Takeaways

• Contingency fees for a permanent finance hire run 15-20% of first-year salary as standard, rising to 20-30% for specialist and senior roles (JR Recruitment, 2026).
• Retained search for senior finance leaders runs 25-33% of first-year salary, paid in three instalments across the search (on3works, 2026).
• North of England fees sit leaner than London, at 15-22% for permanent placements against London's 22-35% (Quick Employment, 2026).
• Most agencies include a rebate period of 8-12 weeks, refunding part of the fee on a sliding scale if the hire leaves early (on3works, 2026).
• A 20% fee on a £75,000 financial controller equals £15,000, payable only when the candidate starts under the contingency model.

The Three Fee Models Finance Employers Meet

Finance employers meet three recruitment fee models: contingency, retained search and temporary margin. Each prices the same core service differently, and the right one depends on the role's seniority and how scarce the talent is. Knowing which model applies before you brief an agency is how you compare quotes on equal terms.

How much is a contingency fee for a finance hire?

A contingency fee for a permanent finance hire runs 15-20% of first-year base salary as standard, rising to 20-30% for specialist or senior roles (JR Recruitment, 2026). Contingency means no win, no fee, so the agency works the role at risk and invoices only when a candidate they introduced starts in the job. Financial services and senior finance roles sit at the higher end, at 20-25%, because scarcer talent takes more work to find. Pricing this correctly starts with benchmarking the salary before you brief a fee, since the fee is a percentage of that number.

How does retained search pricing work for senior finance roles?

Retained search for a senior finance role runs 25-33% of first-year salary, paid in three instalments (on3works, 2026). The structure is usually a third at engagement, a third at shortlist and a third at placement, with a minimum floor of £15,000-£25,000 regardless of salary. Employers use retained search for finance director, CFO and confidential or genuinely scarce appointments, because the exclusive commitment buys deeper market coverage. The trade-off is that the retainer is payable across the search whether or not a hire is made.

What do agencies charge for a temporary or interim finance worker?

For a temporary or interim finance worker, agencies charge an hourly or daily margin on top of the worker's pay rate rather than a one-off placement fee. The margin covers employer costs and the agency's profit, and it applies for the duration of the assignment. This model suits maternity cover, project work and urgent gaps, and it lets an employer bring in an interim controller or finance manager within days rather than weeks.

What Drives a Finance Recruitment Fee Up or Down

Three factors move a finance recruitment fee: role seniority, talent scarcity and region. Senior and specialist roles cost more because they take longer to fill and demand deeper networks. Region matters because London and the South East run at 22-35% while the North of England sits at 15-22% (Quick Employment, 2026), reflecting a larger, more stable regional talent pool. Volume also moves the rate, since committing several hires to one agency lowers the per-placement percentage. Getting the brief wrong inflates the true cost, a pattern set out in the common mistakes in accountancy and finance recruitment.

What does the fee actually pay for?

A recruitment fee pays for access to pre-vetted candidates, a shorter time-to-hire and a replacement guarantee. The agency absorbs the sourcing, screening and market-mapping that an internal team would otherwise carry, and reaches passive candidates who never apply to adverts. The rebate period, typically 8-12 weeks, transfers early-leaver risk from the employer to the agency. The value of that speed is set out in using a specialist recruiter to save hiring time.

How to Work Out Your Finance Recruitment Fee

Four steps produce a clear fee estimate before you engage an agency.

Step 1: Confirm the first-year base salary, since every permanent fee is a percentage of that figure, not the total package.

Step 2: Select the model, using contingency for mainstream roles and retained search for finance director or CFO appointments.

Step 3: Apply the regional rate, 15-22% for a Yorkshire finance role or 20-30% for a specialist senior hire.

Step 4: Check the rebate terms, confirming the length and the sliding scale before signing.

A worked example makes the numbers concrete. A £45,000 finance manager at 18% costs £8,100, a £75,000 financial controller at 20% costs £15,000, and a £100,000 finance director on a 28% retained basis costs £28,000. Shortening the process lowers the real cost further, as set out in shortening the finance recruitment process.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do recruitment agencies charge to place a finance hire in the UK?

UK recruitment agencies charge 15-30% of a finance hire's first-year base salary in 2026, with 15-20% standard for mainstream roles and 20-30% for specialist or senior finance positions (Mason Bedford, 2026). North of England fees sit leaner, at 15-22%. A 20% fee on a £75,000 salary equals £15,000.

What is the difference between contingency and retained fees?

Contingency means you pay only when a candidate starts, at 15-25% of first-year salary, with multiple agencies able to compete. Retained search means you pay in three instalments across the search, at 25-33%, with one agency working exclusively. Retained suits finance director, CFO and confidential appointments.

Do recruitment agencies offer a refund if the hire leaves?

Most UK agencies include a rebate period of 8-12 weeks, refunding part of the fee on a sliding scale if the hire leaves early (on3works, 2026). The refund typically reduces week by week across the guarantee window. Confirm the exact length and scale before signing, since terms vary between agencies.

Are finance recruitment fees higher than other sectors?

Finance recruitment fees sit at the higher end of the contingency range, at 20-25%, because qualified finance talent is scarce and roles such as financial controller take more work to fill (proplaybooks, 2026). Senior finance leadership moves to retained search at 25-33%. Region still applies, so a Yorkshire finance role costs less than a London one.

Talk to Sewell Wallis About Your Finance Hire

Sewell Wallis recruits finance professionals across Leeds, Sheffield and York, and our accountancy and finance recruitment team can set out a clear fee against your role and the current Yorkshire market.

About the Author

Sue Wallis is Joint Managing Director of Sewell Wallis, overseeing the accountancy, finance and HR recruitment desks across Yorkshire. With a recruitment career spanning more than 30 years, she advises businesses on hiring strategy, fee structures and the market conditions that shape senior finance appointments.