Hr-people First Consultancy Ltd

What Hr-people First Consultancy Ltd does

HR People First Consultancy Ltd is a London-based, privately held HR consultancy founded in 2018 by Agata Mabena. The firm provides outsourced human resources support to small and growing UK businesses that lack an internal HR function, spanning contracts, policies and compliance, recruitment and onboarding, training and development, employee relations (grievances, disciplinaries, absence management), sponsorship licence applications, and ad hoc advisory work.

The company's core offering is a three-tier monthly retainer (Silver from £99/month, Gold from £199/month, Platinum from £299/month) layered with ad hoc services — HR Health Checks, Flexible HR Support, and Documentation Support — that allow clients to buy ongoing HR capacity without a retainer commitment. The firm has no proprietary technology platform and operates a service-delivery model centred on its boutique 1–10 person team, with Agata Mabena (MBA, FCIPD, MCIM) as Founder & MD. Delivery is remote across the UK with in-person visits reserved primarily for Platinum-tier clients.

The business is distinctive within the UK HR consultancy market for its B Corp certification (the second HR consultancy in the UK to achieve it in 2021, recertified in 2025 with a score of 103.5), Living Wage Employer status, and positioning ahead of the April 2026 Employment Rights Act through productised Day-One Rights and Fair Work Agency compliance offerings. Customer base is concentrated in hospitality and food & beverage (Bubbleology, Hunter & Gather, Partridges London, Borough Broth, LA Brewery), with adjacent exposure to social enterprises, retail, and professional services. The company has received regional awards including HR Consultancy of the Year (South East 2023; London 2024; North London 2024) and is a 2026 finalist for the HSBC Employer of the Year via the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Name

Hr-people First Consultancy Ltd

Legal name

HR People First Consultancy Ltd

Website

https://hr-peoplefirst.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

HR People First Consultancy Ltd is a London-based B Corp certified HR consultancy providing outsourced, retainer-based HR support to small and growing UK businesses across hospitality, retail, social enterprises, and professional services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

HR Consultancy Services

NAICS

Human Resources Consulting Services (541612), Office Administrative Services (5611)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPACAJAE

HR Service Delivery, Shared Services & HR Operating Model Advisory

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/HR Consulting & Advisory (HR Strategy, Org Design, Change)

SECONDARYBPACAKAI

HR Service Delivery & Employee Contact Centers (HR Helpdesk)

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/HR Outsourcing (HRO) & Shared Services

SECONDARYBPACAKAK

HR Compliance & Policy Administration Outsourcing (incl. regulatory reporting)

Business & Public Services/HR, Staffing & Recruitment Services/HR Outsourcing (HRO) & Shared Services

SECONDARYBPAAAIAH

Employee Helpdesk / HR Service Center (Tier 1)

Business & Public Services/Administrative & Support Services (BPO, Call Centers, Back Office)/HR Operations Outsourcing (Onboarding, Benefits, HR Admin)

SECONDARYBPAAAIAJ

HR Policy, Forms & Case Management (Ticketing/Workflows)

Business & Public Services/Administrative & Support Services (BPO, Call Centers, Back Office)/HR Operations Outsourcing (Onboarding, Benefits, HR Admin)

Keywords

• HR consultancy services
• Outsourced HR support
• Employment law compliance
• Employee relations management
• HR retainer packages

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Monthly Retainer Packages: Three-tier monthly subscription model offering HR advice, documentation, onboarding, training, and compliance support. Packages scale from Silver (£99/month) to Gold (£199/month) to Platinum (£299/month), with each tier adding incremental services.
2. Ad hoc HR Services: Flexible HR support and documentation services available on an as-needed basis without a monthly commitment, including HR Health Checks, disciplinary/grievance support, contract drafting, and policy development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

HR People First provides outsourced HR consultancy services for small and growing UK businesses, delivered through three tiered monthly retainer packages (Silver from £99/month, Gold from £199/month, Platinum from £299/month) and ad hoc paid services including HR Health Checks, Flexible HR Support, and Documentation Support. Services cover HR compliance, contracts and policies, employee relations, recruitment and onboarding, training, and specialist support for the April 2026 Employment Rights Act and Sponsorship Licence applications.

Product overview

HR People First is a B Corp certified HR consultancy offering outsourced human resources support as a service rather than software. The core offering consists of three tiered monthly retainer packages (Silver from £99/month, Gold from £199/month, and Platinum from £299/month) that build progressively on each other, plus ad hoc services including HR Health Checks, Flexible HR Support, and Documentation Support. The company also provides specialist services in 2026 Employment Rights Act compliance including Day-One Rights, Fair Work Agency preparation, and Sponsorship Licences for attracting global talent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Silver Retainer Package Entry-level monthly retainer package from £99/month providing HR advice and support via email and phone, plus HR templates and documentation. Targeted at small UK businesses needing basic HR guidance.
• Gold Retainer Package Mid-tier monthly retainer from £199/month adding onboarding of new starters, risk assessments, recruitment support, annual staff surveys, quarterly meetings, and onboarding aligned with the 2026 Day-One Rights legislation.
• Platinum Retainer Package Premium monthly retainer from £299/month including everything in Gold plus HR policies, Employee Handbooks, HR Health checks, Training & Development, in-person visits, 2026 Handbook rewrites, Fair Work Agency audit prep, and compliance training.
• HR Health Check Ad hoc comprehensive review of current HR practices, documentation, and compliance; identifies risks, gaps, and opportunities and provides clear, practical recommendations. Available without a monthly commitment.
• Flexible HR Support Flexible ad hoc HR support available without a monthly retainer. Includes HR advice via phone and email, support with disciplinaries, grievances and investigations, staff handbook and contract drafting, policy updates, performance management guidance, absence and flexible working advice, and compliance support.
• Documentation Support Ad hoc documentation services including tailored employee contracts, HR policies and supporting forms, bespoke Employee Handbooks, and support drafting and implementing clear HR procedures. Priced individually based on requirements.

Quantifiable outcome

• Sponsorship licence obtained within 6-week fast-track process
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

20 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• London Pregnancy ClinicminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• Hunter & GathercoreOthersLong-term client supported through B Corp certification, policy development, employee onboarding, and culture building. Grew from 10 to 25+ employees with HR People First support.
• Borough BrothminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• OkancoreOthersClient supported with sponsor licence application, obtaining licence within 6 weeks. Also receives ongoing HR support.
• Partridges LondoncoreOthersFamily business client employing approximately 120 staff members. HR People First provided support and advice for operational performance and harmonious working environment.
• BubbleologycoreOthersLong-term client receiving reliable, helpful, affordable, and professional HR services for multiple years.
• BagelminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• LA BrewerycoreOthersClient receiving flexible HR support as an extension of their team, with compassionate but compliant advice.
• Ovis CoffeesminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• TreelogyminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• EatphoriaminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• 60 DegreesminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• WholegoodminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• t-saminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• Optimising ITminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• Bobo and WildminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• Fit EatminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• Polish Village BreadminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• Spin and ShakeminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.
• East of EdenminorOthersClient of HR People First consultancy services, listed under 'Some of Our Partners' section.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Moorepay: Moorepay provides payroll, HR, and employment law support to UK SMEs and mid-market clients. While it has a stronger payroll focus, it competes in the adjacent outsourced HR advisory category.
• Croner (BrightHR): Croner is a long-established UK provider of employment law advice, HR support, and compliance services to businesses. It is a direct peer in the outsourced HR advisory category for UK SMEs.
• HR Solutions (Northgate): HR Solutions is a UK HR consultancy providing outsourced HR support, employment law advice, and training to SMEs and mid-market clients. It is a direct peer in service scope and target customer.
• Citation Group: Citation provides HR, employment law, and health & safety support via subscription packages to UK SMEs. It competes directly in the same SME HR retainer space, though at significantly larger scale.
• The HR Dept: The HR Dept is a UK franchise network providing outsourced HR support to SMEs through retainer-based packages. It is the most directly comparable peer, sharing the SME-targeted outsourced HR model with HR People First.
• ELAS (Employment Law Advisory Services): ELAS is a UK HR and employment law consultancy serving SMEs with retainer and ad hoc support packages. It overlaps closely with HR People First's service mix and target market.
• WorkNest: WorkNest provides outsourced HR, employment law, and health & safety support to UK businesses via subscription. It is a direct peer in the SME HR retainer space with comparable service packaging.
• Peninsula Group: Peninsula is one of the largest UK providers of HR, employment law, and health & safety services to SMEs, offering retainer-based advisory. It competes head-on with HR People First in the same SME HR outsourcing category.

Emerging players

• Breathe HR: Breathe is a UK HR software platform for SMEs with bundled support and advisory options. It is an emerging player that combines technology with HR services, representing a different delivery model that competes for the same SME buyer.

Broad incumbents

• CIPD (Find a Consultant): CIPD is the UK professional body for HR and people development and operates a 'Find a Consultant' directory of vetted HR advisers. As a listing and credentialing body, it is a broad incumbent that channels SME demand to consultants including HR People First.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HR-People-First-Consultancy-Ltd-751196925001592
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hr-people-first-consultancy
• Instagraminstagram.com/hrpeoplefirstltd

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hr-people First Consultancy Ltd