Psychology Direct
Psychology Direct is a UK-based services intermediary that matches solicitors, local authorities, and schools with a nationwide network of 1,000+ pre-vetted psychologists for expert witness reports and educational psychology assessments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2008
- HeadquartersEpsom, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Psychology Direct does
Psychology Direct Ltd (Co. Reg. 07008023) is a UK-based, private, founder-operated intermediary that connects solicitors, local authorities, schools, multi-academy trusts, and case managers with a nationwide network of more than 1,000 pre-vetted psychologists and psychiatrists. The company is headquartered operationally in Epsom, Surrey (with a registered PO Box address in Leatherhead) and was founded in 2008; the Managing Director is Aaron Banham.
The firm operates two primary service lines. The Expert Witness line supplies psychological assessments and medico-legal reports for family, criminal, clinical negligence, personal injury, employment, prison law, and immigration proceedings, with associated court attendance; pricing is anchored to Legal Aid Agency rates (psychologist hourly rates of £72 Inner London and £93.60 Non-London up to £100.80, plus £346–£500 court-day fees). The Educational Psychology line delivers EHC needs assessments, SEND support, and statutory work for local authorities, schools, academies, colleges, and higher education institutions under fixed-price contracts with volume discounts. A separate sister brand, Psychiatry Direct, supplies Section 12-approved psychiatrists. All reports are 100% proofed in-house before delivery.
The business model is professional-services intermediation rather than software: dedicated Client Managers match enquiries (CVs and quotes typically returned within 24–48 hours) to clinicians, manage administration, and coordinate delivery. The underlying technology consists of Zoho-based portals for psychologists and clients plus a website-driven enquiry pipeline; no proprietary platform, app, API, or AI/ML capability is disclosed. Customer evidence spans council-level contracts (Norfolk County Council, Calderdale Council, CPS), trust-level education relationships (Maltby Learning Trust), and durable law firm relationships (Williamsons, Howard Bernstein over 6 years, Swain & Co).
Psychology Direct firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Psychology Direct
- Legal name
- Psychology Direct Ltd
- Website
- https://psychologydirect.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2008
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Psychology Direct is a UK-based services intermediary that matches solicitors, local authorities, and schools with a nationwide network of 1,000+ pre-vetted psychologists for expert witness reports and educational psychology assessments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Psychology Direct industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Medico-Legal and Educational Psychology Services
- NAICS
- Offices of Physicians, Mental Health Specialists (621112), Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services (54169)
- SIC
- Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)
- akta.pro primary industry
- OT Evaluations, Assessments & IEP/504 Planning Support (EDAKAFAM)
Keywords
Where Psychology Direct is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Epsom
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Psychology Direct business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Expert Witness Report Services: Arranging and managing expert witness psychological reports for solicitors and legal professionals. Revenue generated through professional service fees for assessments, reports, and court attendance. Psychologists work to Legal Aid Agency rates for publicly funded cases.
- Educational Psychology Assessment Services: Providing educational psychologists to local authorities, schools, and multi-academy trusts for statutory EHC needs assessments, SEND support, and training. Can be structured as ad hoc assessments or ongoing contract arrangements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Expert Witness - Legal Aid Rates |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Schools, Case Managers and Insurers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Psychology Direct product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Psychology Direct is a UK-based professional services provider that connects solicitors, local authorities, schools, multi-academy trusts, and case managers with a nationwide network of over 1,000 pre-vetted, HCPC-registered psychologists and psychiatrists. The company arranges and manages expert witness psychological assessments and medico-legal reports for legal proceedings, and provides educational psychologists for EHC needs assessments, SEND support, and training, with dedicated Client Managers handling case matching, administration, and report quality checking.
Product overview
Psychology Direct operates as a UK-based psychological services provider connecting clients (solicitors, local authorities, schools, and families) with a nationwide network of over 1,000 qualified, vetted psychologists and psychiatrists. The company offers two primary service lines: Expert Witness Services (covering family court, criminal, clinical negligence, personal injury, employment, prison law, and immigration cases) and Educational Psychology Services (supporting local authorities and schools with EHC needs assessments, SEND assessments, and staff training). Additional offerings include report quality checking, psychologist matching and referral, and specialized assessments for asylum/immigration cases. The business model centers on client management, administrative support, and quality assurance rather than a software platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Expert Witness Services Provision of qualified, vetted psychologists to act as expert witnesses in legal proceedings including family court, criminal, clinical negligence, personal injury, employment, prison law, and immigration cases. Services include psychological assessments, medico-legal reports, and court testimony for solicitors, law firms, and courts (including the Crown Prosecution Service).
- Educational Psychology Services Provision of educational psychologists to support local authorities, schools, academies, colleges, and higher education institutions with statutory EHC needs assessments, educational psychology assessments, SEND support, and training for staff.
- EHC Needs Assessments and Plans Assistance with Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments and plans for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, conducted within statutory timescales for local authorities and schools.
- Immigration and Asylum Psychological Assessments Expert witness psychological assessments for immigration and asylum cases, including trauma and PTSD assessments, cognitive/mental capacity assessments, assessments of victims of torture, and attachment assessments, delivered to solicitors handling immigration matters.
- Fitness to Plead Assessments Assessments to determine whether an accused is fit to stand trial, conducted by appropriately qualified psychologists and psychiatrists, typically commissioned by solicitors or the courts in criminal proceedings.
Quantifiable outcome
- CVs and quotations within 24-48 hours of enquiry
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Psychology Direct
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Psychology Direct technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
Psychology Direct partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Psychology Direct competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Priory Group: One of the UK's largest mental health and wellbeing providers offering psychological assessments, therapy, and expert witness services as part of a broader portfolio — comparable mental health capability but at much larger scale and broader scope.
- Compass (Children's Services): UK provider of mental health and emotional wellbeing services for children and young people, including support to schools and local authorities — comparable SEND/education customer base but with a broader early-intervention focus.
- Hays (Life Sciences / Psychology): Global recruitment and workforce solutions firm with psychology and social care placement practices — comparable in placing psychology professionals, though as a generalist recruiter rather than a specialist service.
Direct peers
- Clinical Partners: UK mental health service provider offering psychiatric and psychological assessments and treatment, including expert witness and medico-legal work — comparable for the mental health specialist referral model.
- Speed Medical: UK medico-legal services company providing expert witness reports, including psychological assessments, to solicitors and insurers — directly comparable in legal-channel customer base and expert witness delivery model.
- IPRS Group: UK provider of psychological and physical wellbeing services to insurers, solicitors, and corporate clients, including medico-legal and expert witness referrals — directly comparable in service model and customer base to Psychology Direct.
- The Practice Group: UK provider of psychological therapies, assessments, and expert witness services to solicitors, local authorities, and case managers — closely comparable in service lines and target customer segments.
- Bush & Co: UK provider of expert witness and rehabilitation services including psychological and neuropsychological assessments for legal clients — directly comparable for the expert witness/medico-legal proposition.
Emerging players
- Psych4Schools: UK educational psychology service for schools, SENCOs, and academies, offering assessments, training, and resources — comparable in the educational psychology segment though smaller in scale and more productized.
- APEX Health + Wellbeing: UK occupational health, psychological wellbeing, and rehabilitation provider serving corporate, legal, and public-sector clients — comparable in delivering psychology and wellbeing services to overlapping UK enterprise customers.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Psychology Direct social profiles
Digital presencePsychology Direct financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Psychology Direct leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Psychology Direct funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Psychology Direct M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Psychology Direct
What does Psychology Direct do?
Psychology Direct is a UK-based professional services provider that connects solicitors, local authorities, schools, multi-academy trusts, and case managers with a nationwide network of over 1,000 pre-vetted, HCPC-registered psychologists and psychiatrists. The company arranges and manages expert witness psychological assessments and medico-legal reports for legal proceedings, and provides educational psychologists for EHC needs assessments, SEND support, and training, with dedicated Client Managers handling case matching, administration, and report quality checking.
Is Psychology Direct a public or private company?
Psychology Direct is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Psychology Direct founded?
Psychology Direct was founded in 2008. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Psychology Direct based?
Psychology Direct is headquartered in Epsom, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Psychology Direct make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Expert Witness Report Services are the primary driver. The others are educational Psychology Assessment Services.
Who are Psychology Direct's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Priory Group, Compass (Children's Services) and Hays (Life Sciences / Psychology). Direct peers are Clinical Partners, Speed Medical, IPRS Group, The Practice Group and Bush & Co. Emerging players are Psych4Schools and APEX Health + Wellbeing.
Does Psychology Direct have an API?
No public API is recorded for Psychology Direct.
What industry is Psychology Direct in?
Psychology Direct's product category is Medico-Legal and Educational Psychology Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAFAM, OT Evaluations, Assessments & IEP/504 Planning Support. Its NAICS code is 621112 and its SIC code is 8011.