How to recruit care staff without relying on agencies
Updated 29 October 2026
Agency staff fill urgent gaps, but relying on them is expensive and makes consistent care harder. These are practical steps care providers use to hire more staff directly.
1. Advertise directly, all the time
Keep live adverts for your most common roles instead of posting only when someone leaves. Use clear titles, show pay and say what support you give. Direct job boards and your own website reach people who would otherwise apply through an agency.
2. Build a bank of staff
A bank of trained, checked staff who pick up extra shifts covers sickness and holidays without agency rates. Former employees, students and people wanting flexible hours often join banks.
3. Ask your team for referrals
Your current carers know other good carers. A simple referral bonus paid after the new starter's probation is often cheaper than one week of agency cover.
4. Speed up onboarding
Good applicants accept other offers while they wait. Interview quickly, start the DBS check straight away and plan shadow shifts and training while checks complete. Ask applicants for their DBS Update Service details, which can save weeks.
5. Keep the staff you have
Every carer who stays is one fewer to replace. Fair rotas with notice, regular supervision, funded diplomas and a clear route to senior roles all help people stay.
6. Track where hires come from
Note where each new starter found you and how long they stay. Put more effort into the sources that bring people who stay.
Amica Connect lets you post unlimited care jobs free for 3 months, then £49 a month, with no placement fees or commission per hire. You manage applicants in one dashboard.
Common questions
Is direct hiring cheaper than an agency?
Usually. There is no agency margin on each hour worked, although you pay for advertising, checks and training yourself.
How quickly can I hire a care worker directly?
It depends mostly on checks. Starting the DBS check straight after a successful interview, and using the Update Service where possible, saves the most time.
Hiring care staff?
Post unlimited care jobs free for 3 months, then £49 a month. No placement fees and no commission per hire.
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