Having just completed two contracts totalling 33 months, the commission  percentage included as part of the fixed day rate quoted today to a company looking for a contract resource, could be the difference in a company wanting to discuss a role with the contractor or not.

The two contracts I worked on recently had different agency commissions one was about 15% the other came out at nearly 27%, there was no difference as a contractor between the two agencies or my own day rates.

Companies looking for a contract resource just like the permanent roles should consider asking the agencies for the contract commission rates, this could save the company some money as there may be some movement in the commission rates.

As a contractor in the UK in each contract there are four elements, me as the contractor, I work through an umbrella company called giant group, giant raise a contract with the agency and deal with my payments, the agency then raise a contract with their end client, I have also worked through giant group contracted directly with a reseller and an end user.

In conclusion I would say to anyone wanting to employ a contractor resource, to ask the agencies for the agencies commission rates for a contractor, before asking them to fulfil a role.

Quite often the same role comes to me as a contractor from several agencies, some agencies are transparent and will discuss their commission with the contractor, with others I often wonder if the agencies commission could make the rate unacceptable to the client.