consultancy –

good practice
guide
Practical guidance on working as a
competent health and safety consultant
This guide is for IOSH
members who work as
consultants or are thinking of
becoming consultants

First, we cover consultancy

good practice.

Second, we show you how to

set up a consultancy and run
it properly.

www.iosh.co.uk/consultancy
Good practice

Why a company may need a consultant Employers can’t avoid their health and safety responsibilities,
Employers have a legal responsibility to “appoint one or but they can choose to have a high risk task carried out by a
more competent persons” to help with health and safety. competent consultant rather than an in-house health and
Whether they decide to have someone inside or outside the safety manager. This transfers some of the risk away from
organisation, or a combination of both, it’s vital that they’re their organisation. Being a consultant, therefore, carries
competent to do the job. great responsibility.

Having an in-house professional to manage health and safety

– someone who’s familiar with the organisation’s operations
– is typically the ideal solution. But in smaller organisations
this isn’t always possible. And in all organisations, whatever
their size, there are times when getting outside help is the
right thing to do. A competent consultant can bring fresh
thinking on good practice or new solutions to an
organisation. A business may need specific help on say,
making sure safety is ‘designed in’ to new processes, or

Good practice
delivering a new health and safety campaign or training
programme. And, of course, qualified and experienced
consultants can offer specialist support in areas outside the
competence of in-house professionals, for example radiation
protection or investigating serious incidents.

01
 Are you competent? On their own, your academic and professional qualifications
To be a good consultant you must be competent. don’t make you competent. You should treat them as the
Competence is a mixture of experience, skills, knowledge starting point for an ongoing programme of CPD
and qualifications in the service that you’re offering, as well throughout your career. Maintaining a portfolio of your
as the sector you work in. Potential clients may want to skills, competences and experience help you offer evidence
check your competence and will find it easier as you’re a of your professionalism and previous successes to potential
member of IOSH, the Chartered professional body for health employers.
and safety.
If you want to give advice as a health and safety consultant,
The law says that people who “assist” in managing health we recommend that you are a Chartered Safety and Health
and safety risks need to be competent, although it doesn’t Practitioner (CMIOSH or CFIOSH). You’ll need to have
set out what ‘competence’ actually means and how you can experience of the sector you’ll be working in. You may also
achieve it. We believe that being competent means you need to get specific skill or sector qualifications. Chartered
must have: Safety and Health Practitioners can apply to join IOSH’s
- relevant experience, knowledge, skills and qualifications Register of Health and Safety Consultants. The Register
- the ability to apply these in the right way, while includes a free online client matching service, so joining it
Good practice

recognising the limits of your competence not only adds to your credibility, it also means your business
- training and other professional development activities to will get more exposure. Have a look at
maintain your competence. www.iosh.co.uk/consultancy for details.

Of course, what you need to do to make you competent Remember that as a member, you must comply with our
depends on the type of advice you want to offer. And you Code of Conduct – see www.iosh.co.uk/codeofconduct.
need to satisfy the clients you’re going to advise that you
have a high enough level of competence for the job in hand.

As a professional consultant, you may have expertise to

offer in a particular field. Or you may want to spread your
expertise across a range of sectors. In either case, you’ll
need to make sure that the skills and competences you can
offer are up to date.
Point 5 in the IOSH Code of Conduct says:
“Members shall not undertake responsibilities in relation
to health and safety which they do not believe themselves
competent to discharge. Members shall acknowledge any
limitations in their own competence, and shall not
undertake any activities for which they are not
appropriately prepared or, where applicable, qualified.”

02
What do I do once I get an ‘opportunity’? If you work with a team of consultants, make sure you have
You’ve formed your consultancy and you’re ready to offer enough consultants to do the work that you’re tendering for.
your services to potential clients – but do you really know Remember to indicate in the bid if you may need the help of
what they want or need? And how can you make sure extra specialist staff and state whether you would provide
you’re following best practice? this at an additional cost. Be prepared to justify your price.
Highlight in the tender if you’ve done similar work before
This next section shows you, stage by stage, how to make and any demonstrable ‘added value’ from your experience.
sure you’re meeting your clients’ needs and working
efficiently and professionally. Some clients don’t have a clear idea of what they need –
they’re often unsure about health and safety. This is where
Initial briefing and defining the project good practice starts. You need to listen to what they’re
When you’re first contacted about a job, respond as fully as saying. What they say to you may be expressed as a
possible to the request for information and give constructive business objective or an interpretation of something they’ve
suggestions. Give a broad outline of the range of approaches, read in a newspaper. You need to work out what they really
explaining the pros and cons of each. You should always be need from you and decide what, if anything, you can do to
realistic about the amount of experience you can bring to a help them. Be truthful and constructive.

Good practice
project, and be prepared to back up any claims you make
with evidence. Give the client some idea of how long you’ll Take the time to write down what you think the client
need to complete the work, what the key milestones will be, wants, if they haven’t done this already. This will help you
and what you can deliver at these milestones. focus and clarify what your client needs. Once you’re clear
about what they want and when, use your notes as a
blueprint for your briefing. Later, you can develop your
notes into the project outline.

03
 Developing your proposal Your project proposal – the details
Make sure you offer a solution that’s tailored to each client’s Your proposal should describe what you’re going to do,
needs. Also, make sure that your proposal will improve their how long it will take, how much it will cost and how your
existing health and safety management, and that it’s practical client will benefit. Make sure you don’t underestimate the
and proportionate. Your proposal should: time it takes to produce a report, which can take as long as,
- be based on a correct assessment of the risks or longer than, the time spent on site.
- take account of any established standards and good
practice Cover the following in your proposal, no matter how briefly:
- be directed at the actual circumstances found in the - an introduction, describing the background to the
organisation project and demonstrating your understanding of the
- involve workers and managers – in both design and issue and its context
delivery - the method you’ll use – preparation and planning,
- be based on your knowledge and experience of the collecting information, options for the client to choose
particular industry or process the employer wants help - your timetable for completing the project, including the
with time it will take to write your report, if that’s part of the
- concentrate on practical action to control significant risks proposal
Good practice

- keep paperwork to a minimum - the contracted or agreed arrangements, setting out the
- recommend control measures that are ‘reasonably resources you’ll need, security clearance if necessary, and
practicable’ to introduce access to relevant documents and people
- be communicated effectively, without jargon, to various - your qualifications and experience and those of people
audiences in the organisation who’ll be working with you – offer the client references,
- explain how the recommendations will benefit the or give them the details of previous satisfied clients
business. - similar work you’ve completed, and any cases where
you’ve added value to a project
It shouldn’t: - a confidentiality clause to protect both you and the
- make promises about issues you have no control over organisation you’ll be working for
- exaggerate the importance of trivial risks. - an estimate of the cost of the work you’ll do.

If your client asks for advice that you’re not competent to The client will be looking for the person with the best
give, you should tell them and, if possible, suggest someone qualifications and most relevant experience for their project,
suitable who can help. as well as being someone they can work with. The right
level of professional body membership, or accreditation, is
likely to be a significant factor in the client’s choice.

04
Getting appointed and agreeing terms - a ‘risk register’ of who’s responsible for which risks,
In theory, you don’t need a written instruction, but it’s making sure that risk lies with whoever has the greatest
useful to confirm a telephone conversation in writing to ability to manage it
make sure you’ve understood the work needed and that - how you’ll evaluate the performance of the project,
there’s no ambiguity. It can also be useful to keep copies of including agreeing reasonable performance measures
documents, including telephone notes with dates, times, that are simple to demonstrate
names and so on. - whether the project has a defined conclusion and, if it
does, who’ll write the final report.
Sometimes, when people buy something they know little
about, they’re dissatisfied when they get it. If a client feels In practice, you may find that organisations that regularly
this way, it’s useful to have a brief you can refer to showing use consultants or freelance workers have highly detailed
what you agreed. If you or your client want to use a formal standard forms of contract. You may want to draft your
contract, agreement or appointment document, you may need own standard form, although for some projects an
legal advice. Often, your professional indemnity insurance exchange of letters will be enough. If you’re VAT-registered,
policy will state that you won’t be insured if you sign up to make this clear and give them your VAT number.
obligations that exceed your cover.

Good practice
Other points you need to consider include:
Once a client chooses you to do a job, agree terms, - identifying if any other consultants will be involved in the
including your fee and other expenses. This should indicate project, and agreeing, if necessary, the scope of any
how you’re going to be paid – weekly, monthly, in stages or changes during the assignment
on completion. Decide on a timescale for invoicing and - reviewing any contract you’re using to check that it’s fit
providing statements. In the contract, agreement or project for purpose
plan, you also need to define: - making sure that what you do (or don’t do) doesn’t
- the scope of the work breach IOSH’s Code of Conduct
- what you expect of the client (and when), and what the - making sure your terms of business are included in the
client expects of you (and your team, if you have one) in contract or agreement
terms of resources - making sure you’ve got enough insurance cover (see page
- who you are answerable to and who, from the client’s 11)
organisation, you can take instructions from - restricting who can be assigned ‘user rights’ under the
- the timetable and what milestones you’ll use to review contract – be prepared to grant the client title for work
progress and evaluate your success – make sure you build they have fully funded and limited usage rights in your
in face-to-face review meetings with the client and, if pre-existing intellectual property rights
things aren’t going to plan, be prepared to agree changes - outlining any possible conflicts of interest.

05
 Things you shouldn’t do include: Be clear about what you’re charging
- agreeing to unlimited collateral warranties* You’ll need to use your own resources to meet your client’s
- signing up to unlimited liability needs. This is chiefly the time you spend at their premises
- agreeing to directors’ guarantees and writing up your report, if that’s part of the agreement.
- working outside your or your organisation’s expertise. If you have a lot of research to do, this could indicate that
you’re working beyond your competence.

As well as your fee, you’ll need to agree on what else your

client will pay for, such as travel expenses, overnight stays,
meals, printing and binding, postage and so on. You should
spell out your expenses in detail, for example rate per mile
for driving, itemised telephone calls. You also need to be
clear on whether there’s a limit on how much you can
spend and whether you need to get your client’s approval
before you pay for things. Remember – even if your client
doesn’t pay on time, you’ll still have regular expenses to
Good practice

meet, and possibly some special ones in connection with

work for them. With long projects, you may want to ask for
interim payments.

Specify added value

You need to ask yourself whether the service that you’ll be
providing will add value to your client’s business, for
example cutting down their sickness absence rate. If this is
the case, your client is likely to be prepared to pay more
than they would for a service that doesn’t obviously improve
their ‘bottom line’. Naturally, businesses have competing
demands for their money, so you need to explain how your
service is good value for their business. Take care not to
make claims you can’t deliver or prove you’ve delivered.

*A ‘collateral warranty’ is a form of contract that runs alongside, and is

usually an addition to, another contract. In this case, it would run
alongside the contract between you and your client, allowing the client
to assign rights and benefits to a third party. This means that you would
be legally responsible for any defects in their work, in effect providing a
guarantee to the third party.

06
Implementing the project Changes during the project
Remember that you’ve told the client what you’re going to do, If you and your client agree to any changes or additions to
so do it in the agreed timeframe – aim to please your client. the work, it’s good practice to record them in writing,
including confirming telephone calls. You may also need to
Once you’ve started work, you need to: agree a new schedule to any contract or agreement, which
- keep people informed about what’s going on and keep both of you should sign. You should then update your
your client up to speed on progress project plan.
- work alongside your client, defining what information
you need from them and when Good practice when invoicing
- be prepared to agree changes to the work plan with the The client must be clear about what you’re charging for and
client, in response to what’s actually happening – it’s be happy that the terms of the contract or agreement have
pointless having a rigid approach if things aren’t been met. Equally, if you’ve done a good job, you’re entitled
working. to be paid promptly.

And remember – don’t disclose confidential information to There are four stages to invoicing:
your client’s staff. It’s unlikely that they’ll be as well briefed - phone your client and check that it’s OK to send in your

Good practice
as you on some areas. invoice
- send it in (along with a stamped, self-addressed envelope)
If you’re preparing a report of recommendations, don’t just - phone them soon after to confirm that they’ve received it
send it in the post – make an appointment, take it along - if you need to, ‘chase’ the invoice by phoning them just
with you and explain it face-to-face. For example, if you’ve before the payment term has run out.
helped your client develop a new health and safety policy,
arrange a meeting of the senior management team
(minimum half a day) to explain what their obligations are,
so that they can start to address them immediately. Make
sure that all the relevant people in the organisation
understand what they need to do.

07
 Where’s your next project coming from? Evaluation, follow-up and learning
Remember the 40/40 rule – don’t have more than 40 per cent It’s good practice to evaluate and follow up your project.
of your order book with one client, and don’t place more than When the project’s complete, take a critical look at the
40 per cent of any associate work with one associate. results. Ask yourself what went well, what could have been
done better and what you learned (including about your
Finding new clients from scratch will cost you more than own performance). Ask clients for constructive feedback and
securing more work from existing clients. So, if you make keep in touch with them, periodically phoning (or visiting)
your clients happy, you’re more likely to get other work them to see how things are progressing. This is particularly
from them. And they may recommend you to their business important where you’re offering long term solutions, and will
contacts and other people they meet. help you foster and maintain good relationships with clients.

Finally, consider sharing your experience of what works and

what doesn’t, and learn from the experience of others. This
is one of the times when your membership of IOSH is
invaluable. It’s always helpful to have an ‘outside–in’ view
from time to time, keeping you on top of new
Good practice

developments and helping you focus and accelerate your

progress. And don’t forget the support the IOSH
Consultancy Group can offer – find out more at
www.iosh.co.uk/groups/consultancy. You’ll also find our
online discussion forums and helplines useful.

08
Setting up and running a consultancy

Setting up and running a consultancy

First steps If you’ve got any doubts about ‘going it alone’, or if you
You need to do some careful research and planning before want to see how a consultancy works before you make your
you decide to become a consultant – there’s a lot at stake. decision, you could consider joining a consultancy firm as an
The potential market for consultancy work varies from area associate.
to area, depending on the type and size of organisations in
the region. You also need to think about the distance you’re
prepared to travel. So, you need to consider every aspect
carefully before striking out on your own.

Before you take the plunge...

- Why do you want to become a consultant?
- What has triggered the idea? What type of consultancy do you want to be?
- Would working for yourself allow you to use your There’s a range of choices and you should pick the one
skills more successfully? that suits you best – all have different risks and benefits.
- Are your personality and skills suited to working in
this way? Four of the main options are:
- Would you be happy working on your own? - self-employed or sole trader
- Are you able to plan and manage your time – and do - partnership
you know when to call a halt? - limited liability partnership (LLP)
- How will you keep your skills up to date? - limited company.
- Can you handle your own finances?
- Are you prepared to research and arrange your own For more information on these visit
income tax, VAT, National Insurance payments, other www.businesslink.gov.uk. It would pay to get
types of insurance and pension scheme? professional advice from a solicitor or accountant too.

09
Setting up and running a consultancy

Making your decision To identify your transferable skills, think back to a previous
When you’re thinking about becoming a consultant, you job you’ve had. For example, can you lead a team, or are
need to be clear about the type of advice you’re competent you better off working where someone else makes the
to provide, who you’ll offer your services to, how you’ll get ‘business’ decisions? Or, if you managed a team, what was
yourself known, and what you’ll charge. You also need to your leadership style, how did you manage performance,
ask yourself: and did you lead by example?
- what are my marketable skills?
- would firms or individuals be prepared to pay for what I Whatever way you work, you’ll need to be able to take a
can offer? brief from a client and deliver advice in a way that the client
- how do I decide which market to aim at? can understand and will take action on. You’ll usually be
communicating using a written document supported by a
You also need to identify your ‘unique selling points’ so that verbal presentation of the written material. You also need to
you stand out from the rest. To do this you need to: have a persuasive personality to convince your client that
- understand your values, motivation, interests and they need to take the action you suggest.
strengths
- analyse and describe your achievements It’s essential to do some thorough research before making
- identify your transferable skills your decision to go freelance, so that you’re confident that
- have a look at the competition. it’s the right choice for you. It will also help you work more
effectively once you’ve made your decision.
When considering your new career, it’s useful to think
about:
- what motivates you
- what you need from your working environment to help
you achieve your best
- what you enjoy doing.

Look at where your interests, skills and abilities merge –

these are your strengths and it’s these you need to be able
to ‘sell’ to a client if you become a consultant.

Make a list of your achievements. These will provide

evidence of your competence and track record, and will help
clients feel confident about employing you for future work.
This also helps you develop a clearer idea of the sort of
work that suits you best. For each achievement, identify the
problem, the action you took and what you did that made a
difference.

10
 Setting up and running a consultancy
Where are you going to work? Insurance – what do you need?
At one end of the spectrum is your spare bedroom or a Whatever business set-up you choose, unless you’re
garden office. At the other is renting an office. In between employed by someone else, you’ll need to have insurance.
the two is to take on a fully serviced office space. Again, There are three main types:
there are a number of issues to take into account when - employer’s liability compulsory insurance – a legal
making your choice: requirement where you employ someone, but not if
- is the area large enough? you’re the sole working director of a limited company.
- will you have clients visiting you? You may still want it to protect you if you’re injured
- how many employees will you have? while working for your company
- will you send your books to an accountant, or will the - public liability insurance – provides cover if a member
accountant come to see you? of the public sues you if they’re adversely affected by
- what are your expansion plans? your work
- what is the risk that your business won’t be a success - professional indemnity insurance – provides cover
and you’ll have to stop trading? against negligence claims brought against you by one of
your clients. This form of insurance is essential. There
Setting up in practice – writing can be a delay between an event and a subsequent
your business plan claim, so if you intend to cancel your policy (if you stop
When you’ve decided that you’ve got something to offer working as a consultant or retire), you need to consider
that people will want to buy, and where you’re going to taking out ‘run-off’ cover for a period afterwards. The
work, you can write up your business plan. At its most best defence against being sued on the grounds that
basic, a business plan needs to include how much your set- your work caused loss or damage to the client is to
up costs will be and how you’ll finance them, where you maintain your professional development and keep
expect to get business to cover at least your living costs, and yourself up-to-date. Clear and reasonable disclaimers are
contingency plans to cover start-up and ‘quiet’ periods. If also helpful, for example stating that you have no liability
you need a loan, you’ll need a far more detailed plan for errors in published sources. Pay attention to deadlines
including realistic financial projections for the first few years. and keep records – ideally for six years.
You can get useful information on this from Business Link at
www.businesslink.gov.uk. If you rely on the income from your business, you may want
to take out income protection or personal accident
insurance to provide you with an income if you have an
illness or injury that prevents you from working.

11
Setting up and running a consultancy

Building and contents insurance You can get useful insurance information from the Association
If you occupy office space, you’ll also need building and of British Insurers at www.abi.org.uk and the British
contents insurance. If you’re working from home, you’ll need Insurance Brokers’ Association at www.biba.org.uk. You can
to tell your domestic insurer and they may charge you an extra also get advice from an insurance broker on the types of
premium. Check your car insurance as well, as you may need insurance and the level of cover or indemnity to suit your
extra cover if you start using your car for business driving. circumstances – make sure they’re registered with the Financial
Services Authority.
Issues that could affect your premium
The premium you’ll pay for insurance cover will depend on a
Financial matters
number of things, and you need to be confident that the
Be precise about your finances, especially when you’re
insurer will pay out if you have a claim. Some of the issues
setting up in business. Work out answers to these questions:
that affect the cost of premiums include:
- how much do you need to live on each month?
- the level or amount of cover (described as the ‘sum - what’s your financial break-even point?
insured’ for property policies, and ‘level of indemnity’ for
- do you need to make a profit, and if so how much?
liability policies)
- how much should you put aside to meet your annual
- the amount of excess tax bill?
- the duration of the cover
- consulting on certain types of work, eg asbestos, Build into your calculations the cost of items usually
contaminated land, nuclear material
supplied by an employer but which you’ll now need to pay
- if you or your employees will be working at height, for – training, sickness absence, stationery, access to a range
offshore or at other high hazard locations.
of databases, IT support, and other bought-in expertise such
as accountants. You’ll need enough money to finance
There are a number of ways that you may be able to get a
yourself for at least six months without income.
discount on your premium:
- by being at the right level of membership of a professional Weigh up the advantages of opening a small business bank
body – for example, a Chartered Member of IOSH – or by
account rather than passing your professional fees through
belonging to a recognised competency scheme
your personal account.
- by being a member of an organisation that has
negotiated an insurance scheme or a premium discount
If you need an overdraft facility or a loan, you’ll need to
for members
discuss your business plan with your bank manager.
- by having formal accreditation of your business
processes, such as a quality assurance scheme that meets
ISO 9000.

12
 Setting up and running a consultancy
What to charge? However, not all of these 220 days are earning days, since
Be flexible about charges. You need to be competitive, as it’s you have to set aside a considerable amount of time for
all too easy to price yourself out of the market. So, charge business development and administration, course and
different rates for different services, circumstances and even conference attendance, plus other professional development.
clients. For example, it may make more business sense to Therefore, the number of days you’ll probably work and earn
lower your rate slightly to secure a particular client onto fees can vary between 150 and 200 each year.
your books, rather than charging your normal fee.
Example
When working out rates, take into account: An annual salary of £30,000 (from 175 days’ work)
- paying your own insurance, VAT, tax, pension equals about £171 per day. To take account of all your
arrangements and fees for your professional advisers overheads, you should probably double this figure.
- allowing time for writing up detailed accounting records Therefore, £171 becomes £342 per day or £49 per hour
and completing tax returns based on a 7-hour day.
- if you use your home as an office, the cost of using your
own telephone and email system and increased energy
Having arrived at an appropriate figure, you can make
costs
adjustments according to the market and length of the
- paying for photocopying, clerical support or buying your project. A short project of two or three days could be
own equipment
charged at a higher daily rate than one of several weeks or
- if you offer online services, hardware and software a regular weekly or monthly commitment.
maintenance and telephone costs, and subscription
charges
With all these calculations, bear in mind that many
- the cost of time and travel when you’re looking for organisations either can’t or won’t be prepared to pay to a
sources of information or carrying out interviews
freelance the sort of fees that an established firm of
- paying your own fees for conferences and training consultants would command.
- putting aside money for when you’re unwell and unable
to work
Allow yourself at least two years to get established and
- when you’ll be able to take holidays. build up your client base. Initially, you’ll spend a lot of time
and effort trying to get work. Many organisations take a
All these are hidden costs if you work for someone else. If
long time to respond – unfortunately, some also take a long
you work for yourself, you must take them into account
time to pay their bills.
when you calculate your fees. One straightforward method
is to take a realistic current salary and, using that, calculate
a weekly, daily and hourly rate. Remember that out of the
365 days in each year, 104 days are accounted for by
weekends. Add in bank holidays and other holidays and this
leaves about 220 working days.

13
Setting up and running a consultancy

Tax VAT
Even if you employ an accountant, the responsibility for VAT is collected on business transactions and imports, and
complying with tax rules and regulations lies with you. It’s you’ll need to decide whether to register to pay it. If your
important to understand how the tax system works, and annual turnover is low, you won’t need to register. If you’re
what you need to do. With the current system of self- not VAT-registered, your services may appear cheaper than
assessment, you need to keep accurate records and relevant those of organisations that are. Some consultants feel that
documents, so that you can back up the information on being registered – and quoting this in their publicity – gives
your tax return. Self-employed people must keep these for them added credibility.
five years after the date of sending back their tax return. So,
you need to be well organised, and keep all your receipts Other more tangible benefits include being able to reclaim
and documents in chronological order so they’re easier to your expenditure on some goods and services that you use
process. It’s a good idea to invest in a straightforward in your business – the VAT element of your business
bookkeeping package, so that your records are in order and telephone bill for example. You’ll have to do quarterly
accurate from the start. returns, but these can be simplified by joining a VAT
scheme. Take advice before making your decision. For more
Tax rules and allowances change regularly, so contact your information, visit www.hmrc.gov.uk.
local tax office for guidance, or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk.
HM Revenue and Customs also produces a helpful leaflet,
‘Working for yourself – the guide’, which includes guidance
on income tax, VAT and National Insurance contributions.

14
 Setting up and running a consultancy
Data protection Getting paid
The Data Protection Act 1998 covers processing and holding You’ve done the job, now you need to get paid. If the job
personal information on any electronic equipment that lasts more than, say, a month, you may want to arrange to
stores data, such as computers or databases. According to be paid in instalments. When you send in your fee proposal
the Act, data must be: to a potential client, agree payment terms, when they
- fairly and lawfully processed should pay your invoices, whether you’re entitled to part
- processed for limited purposes payments and so on. You also need to be clear what
- adequate, relevant and not excessive ‘payment terms’ really mean. Even with 30-day payment
- accurate terms, you can realistically expect to receive the money
- processed in accordance with the data subject’s rights between 60 and 90 days after sending in the invoice.
- secure.
If you don’t get paid and you have a contract, you can take
It must not be: your case to the Small Claims Court – have a look at
- kept longer than is necessary www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk. For a fee, the court can
- transferred to countries without adequate protection. issue claim forms to your client, leaving them in no doubt
that you’re considering taking legal proceedings against
Contact the Information Commissioner’s Office to find out them. Alternatively, you can start debt recovery online (it’s
how to comply with these rules. slightly cheaper) from ‘money claims on-line’ at
t +44 (0)1625 545745 www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk/onlineservices/mcol
www.ico.gov.uk /index.htm. You can also get advice from your local
Citizens Advice Bureau.
Professional advice
HM Revenue and Customs and other government
departments offer free advice, but it’s still worth thinking
about using the services of professionals such as
accountants and lawyers. Using other people’s expertise can
save you time, effort and, ultimately, money. Most
professional advisers will give you a cost-free preliminary
interview to explain their services, and then give you a
quotation.

15
Setting up and running a consultancy

How to sell yourself Presenting your consultancy

- The basic message is ‘get yourself known’, as most You need to decide how you’re going to present and
business comes through personal contact and raising promote your business. One of the first things you’ll need
awareness of both yourself and your work. to decide is what you’re going to be called. Your business
- Be clear about what you’re offering and how it differs address can also say a lot about you – ‘Rose Cottage’, for
from others – identify your key selling points. example, sends a different message to ‘Enterprise House’.
- Commission a professional brochure to send out and
give to people – include a concise run-through of your For your business stationery, consider getting a
experience and capabilities. Summarise the information professional designer to do your artwork, and digital
on a business card. printing to keep costs down. You’ll also need to think
- Consider setting up a professionally designed website. about how your business appears in all correspondence,
- Write articles for the press, journals, business groups, including invoices. A letter with a postage stamp sends a
Chambers of Commerce and similar networks, and different message to one that’s franked.
volunteer to serve on committees.
- Join other professional organisations relevant to the
sector you’ll be specialising in.
- Think about contacting networks you wouldn’t
normally connect with, and offer to speak at local
business clubs and other organisations.

Remember – these activities, although vital for publicity,

use up your most important resource: time. So, regularly
review the benefits of your involvement and ‘weed out’
activities that bring you the least reward.

16
 Setting up and running a consultancy
Useful web links

- At IOSH, we offer a free online service that matches - You can get information on setting up your consultancy
clients who want health and safety advice with from the Institute of Business Consulting.
members who are on our Register of Health and Safety www.ibconsulting.org.uk
Consultants.
www.iosh.co.uk/consultancy - The Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development
offers information on setting up your own business.
- For members who wish to register as a consultant. www.cipd.co.uk/search/default.aspx?q=consultancy
www.iosh.co.uk/Login.aspx
- Business Link provides practical advice for businesses.
You may also find our network group for consultants www.businesslink.gov.uk
useful, as well as our free technical guides and online
resources. - HM Revenue and Customs gives information on tax
www.iosh.co.uk/groups/consultancy and online VAT services.
www.iosh.co.uk/techguide www.hmrc.gov.uk
www.ohtoolkit.co.uk
www.oshresearch.co.uk - Visit Companies House for information on setting up a
limited company.
- The Health and Safety Executive website provides free www.companieshouse.gov.uk
guidance – you may also be interested in the ‘Access to
competent health and safety advice’ page, including - The Citizens Advice Bureau offers help on self-
the HSE statement to external providers of health and employment in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern
safety assistance. Ireland.
www.hse.gov.uk www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/life/employment/
www.hse.gov.uk/smallbusinesses/must/advice.htm self-employment_checklist.htm%20-

We’d like to thank the IOSH Consultancy Group for its We welcome all comments aimed at improving the quality
valuable contribution in producing this guide. of our guidance, including details of non-UK references and
good practices. Please send your feedback to the Policy and
The Group also helped to prepare our ‘Getting help with Technical Director at richard.jones@iosh.co.uk.
health and safety’ guide, aimed at clients. You can
download it at www.iosh.co.uk/consultancy. March 2010
17
 This document is printed on chlorine-free paper produced from managed, sustained forests.
IOSH IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety
The Grange professionals. With more than 37,000 members
Highfield Drive in 85 countries, we’re the world’s largest
Wigston professional health and safety organisation.
Leicestershire
LE18 1NN We set standards, and support, develop and
UK connect our members with resources, guidance,
events and training. We’re the voice of the
t +44 (0)116 257 3100 profession, and campaign on issues that affect
f +44 (0)116 257 3101 millions of working people.
www.iosh.co.uk
IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered
charity with international NGO status.

WE/LV/040310/P
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health
Founded 1945
Incorporated by Royal Charter 2003
Registered charity 1096790