The data, extracted from Companies House, reveals 8,456 new recruitment agencies launched in 2019 – a 230% increase in the number of recruitment companies launched in 2010, when 2,556 were set up.

Most agencies registered in 2019 were based in Greater London and the South-East, followed by Birmingham, Leicester and Manchester.

Commenting on the data, Sonovate co-CEO Richard Prime said: “It’s great to see the recruitment industry in such good health, despite the uncertainty surrounding Brexit that has dominated the last year.

“The UK is a nation of entrepreneurs, and small, nimble recruitment specialists have come to dominate the market due to lower start-up costs, better access to finance and a more connected world.”

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