Health and safety consultancy is priced in several different ways, which makes quotes hard to compare. One consultant quotes a day rate, another a fixed fee for a project, a national provider quotes a monthly figure tied to a contract of several years, and software companies quote per user or per site. This guide explains each model, what drives the cost up or down, and what a quote should contain so you can compare like with like.
It deliberately does not quote market averages, because published figures vary widely and depend on assumptions you cannot see. Where fees are given, they are Featherstone Safety's own published prices, labelled as such.
The five pricing models
1. Hourly or day rate
The consultant charges for time. Simple and transparent, and well suited to short tasks such as reviewing a document, attending a meeting or investigating an incident. The weakness is that you do not know the total until the work is done, so for anything larger ask for an estimate of days and a cap.
2. Fixed fee for a defined piece of work
A compliance review, a set of risk assessments, a policy and arrangements document, a compliance pack or an ISO gap assessment. You know the cost in advance, and the consultant carries the risk of taking longer. This only works if the scope is written down clearly, so expect a good consultant to ask questions before quoting.
3. Monthly retainer
A fixed monthly fee for ongoing access to a named consultant, usually including a number of visits or hours, document updates, phone and email advice and help when something goes wrong. The value is continuity: your consultant knows your business and your records stay current. Check what is included, what counts as extra, and above all the contract length and notice period.
4. National package providers
Some larger providers bundle health and safety with HR and employment law, priced per month and often on a fixed term of several years. The monthly figure can look modest. Compare the total cost over the full term, check who actually does the work and how often anyone visits, and read the termination clauses before signing. Our provider comparison guides go through the questions to ask.
5. Software subscription
Health and safety software gives you the structure to manage risk assessments, training, actions and evidence yourself. It is the lowest cost option and the one that scales best, but it does not replace competent advice where your risks need it. Many businesses pair software with a light retainer or an annual review. Featherstone Safety Hub plans start from £49 a month per site, with a 14-day free trial and no card required.
What drives the price
- Risk profile. A workshop with machinery, chemicals and vehicles needs more assessment work than an office of the same size.
- Headcount and sites. More people and more locations mean more activities to assess, more training to record and more visits.
- Starting point. A business with reasonable documents that need updating costs less to help than one starting from nothing or from a generic template that does not match the work.
- Scope. A policy on its own is a small job. A full compliance pack with policy, arrangements, risk assessments, COSHH, training plan and inspection regime is a project.
- Deadline. A tender due next week or an enforcement notice with a date on it compresses the work and may cost more.
- Travel. On-site work costs more than remote work. A local consultant usually wins on this, which is one reason to look close to home for routine support.
- Experience. Chartered and diploma-level consultants charge more than certificate-level ones. Pay for the level your risks need, not the highest available.
Featherstone Safety's published fees
These are our own prices, published on this site. They are starting points, and the final scope and price are always confirmed in writing before any work begins.
- Health and safety compliance review: from £395. A gap analysis of your current arrangements and a prioritised action plan.
- Retained health and safety support: from £145 a month. No long-term contract, cancel any time, with direct access to a NEBOSH qualified consultant.
- Featherstone Safety Hub software: from £49 a month per site. 14-day free trial, no card required.
- ISO 45001 and ISO 14001 consultancy: from £1,250 for a gap assessment and from £5,995 for single-standard implementation. Certification body fees are separate and are never included in a consultant's price.
What a quote should include
Whatever the pricing model, a quote you can rely on sets out:
- The scope: which sites, which activities, which documents, and what is excluded.
- The deliverables: what you will receive, in what format, and who owns it afterwards. You should own your documents.
- Who does the work and their qualifications.
- Visits: how many, how long, and what a further visit costs.
- Timescales and what you need to provide.
- For retainers, the contract length, notice period, what is included each month and what is charged as extra.
- Insurance held by the consultant.
If two quotes differ a lot, the scope usually differs too. Ask each consultant to price the same written scope and the comparison becomes straightforward.
The cost of not getting help
It is worth setting the fee against what poor health and safety management can cost. If an HSE inspector finds a material breach of the law, the business is charged for the inspector's time at an hourly rate set by HSE under its fee for intervention scheme, in addition to any enforcement action. Fines for health and safety offences are set with reference to the turnover of the business and the seriousness of the breach, and can be very large. Add the cost of lost working days, insurance excesses and premium increases, civil claims, and tenders you cannot bid for because you cannot evidence your arrangements. Against that, a few hundred pounds for a review, or a modest monthly retainer, is a small number.
How to keep the cost down
- Start with a review rather than a full project. It tells you what you actually need.
- Gather what you have before the consultant arrives: existing documents, training certificates, maintenance records, accident book. Time spent searching is time you pay for.
- Nominate someone inside the business to own health and safety day to day. The consultant then supports a system instead of being the system.
- Use software to keep records live between visits, so each visit is spent on improvement rather than reconstruction.
- Avoid long contracts until you have seen the quality of the work.
If you would like a price for your own business, describe what you do and where and you will get a written scope and a fixed figure, not an estimate that changes later.
Frequently asked questions
Do health and safety consultants charge VAT?
It depends on whether the consultancy is VAT registered. Featherstone Safety Ltd is not currently VAT registered, so the fees published on this site are the amounts payable. Always check whether a quote is shown with or without VAT when comparing providers.
Is a monthly retainer better value than paying as you go?
For a business that needs regular contact, visits and document updates, usually yes, because the consultant already knows the business and the records stay current. For a business that needs help once or twice a year, a fixed-fee review and occasional day rate work is cheaper. The key check on any retainer is the contract length and notice period.
What is included in a health and safety compliance review?
Featherstone Safety's review normally covers a conversation about the business and its activities, a look at existing arrangements and key documents, a workplace visit where that is in the agreed scope, and a written report with prioritised actions. The exact scope is confirmed in writing before work starts. Reviews start from £395.
Are ISO certification fees included in consultancy prices?
No. Certification is carried out and invoiced by an independent certification body. A consultant prepares you for it and should state clearly that certification body fees are separate. Featherstone Safety is not a certification body and does not issue certificates.
Can we get health and safety support without a long contract?
Yes. Featherstone Safety's retained support is month to month with no long-term contract, and Featherstone Safety Hub can be cancelled at any time. If a provider insists on a multi-year term before doing any work, compare the total cost over the whole term and read the termination clauses carefully.