What is the cost of having a locum?

Q: What is the cost of having a locum?

A: Locum costs depend on a wide range of factors, but usually the rule of thumb is that the longer the assignment the lower the rates.

Location plays an important part in determining hourly rates. For example, if you work in Kings Lynn there are very few locums who live within say 75 miles of your offices. This means that a locum will have to stop overnight. Accommodation costs in Kings Lynn are usually reasonable so the hourly rate will not be that affected. However – if you are based in Newquay in Cornwall there are again very few locums residing close by but the accommodation costs at certain times of the year are exceptionally high so hourly rates will be considerably higher.

Length is the other major issue, although a good number of locums have become fairly immune to promises of length assignments that are offered simply to try and haggle the hourly rate down! It is fairly easy to spot firms who are trying it on and recruit a locum for 2 weeks cover at a low rate by indicating a likely duration of 6 months. The rates will probably be lower for longer-term assignments, but this can only be a very small reduction in a lot of cases.

Costs can be broken down into the following:

1. Hourly rate paid directly to the locum lawyer. This is usually termed as the “locum hourly rate” in our correspondence with you.
2. Our fee – this is paid separately and is based on 18% of monies paid to the locum.

There are no other costs. The locum will issue an invoice to you on a weekly basis, payable within 3 working days by BACS. We issue an invoice for our fee on a monthly basis, based on the amounts the locum invoices you for during the month.

As a general guide, the overwhelming majority of our locums work on a rate of £25-35 per hour (this has increased in recent times and varies year on year) – see our hourly rate guide for details.

Our fee of 18% is non-negotiable – we charge the same rate on every assignment – click here for our locum fee page. However, if a locum takes a permanent role with you we have different arrangements. Please contact us for details.