Competent person retainer on call, on the policy, on your side
Named competent person under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999. Three tiers, fixed monthly fees, no hourly billing surprises.
What Reg 7 actually requires
Regulation 7 of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 is the foundation of competent person arrangements in UK H&S law.
- 1Appoint one or more competent persons to help implement the measures the employer must take
- 2The competent person must have sufficient training, experience or knowledge, and other qualities to enable them to discharge those functions
- 3Priority must be given to in-house competent persons before bringing in external help
- 4Where there is no in-house competence, external appointment is allowed (and common in SMEs and growing businesses)
Three retainer levels, scoped to your business
Indicative monthly fees. The actual fee is agreed against the written scope at onboarding.
Essentials
from £450 / month
SMEs (under 50 employees)
For businesses that want a named competent person on file, periodic policy reviews and a phone line when things go wrong.
- Named competent person on your H&S policy
- Annual review of policy, risk assessments and arrangements
- Email and phone support during working hours
- One on-site visit per year
- Reportability triage for any incident within 4 working hours
Standard
from £950 / month
Mid-market (50–250 employees)
For businesses with multiple sites or higher-risk operations who need monthly support, quarterly inspections and active programme management.
- Everything in Essentials, plus:
- Monthly check-in call with the H&S lead or directors
- Quarterly site inspections with action register
- Board-level H&S reporting pack
- Two annual training days included
- Priority on-call response (same working day)
Enterprise
scoped per client
Multi-site or group businesses
For groups running 5+ sites, complex operations, or integrated HSE systems. Dedicated lead consultant and account manager.
- Everything in Standard, plus:
- Named lead consultant familiar with your operations
- Monthly site inspection rotation
- Integrated HSE programme management (45001 + 14001)
- Annual programme planning workshop
- 24-hour incident response cover
From first call to operational in 30 days
- 1
Discovery call
30 minutes. We learn your business, sites, current arrangements and the worry list keeping you up at night.
- 2
Baseline review
We review your existing H&S documentation, recent incidents and last enforcement contact, if any. Two days of work, no fee.
- 3
Proposal
Recommended tier, named consultant, fixed monthly fee and a one-page scope of services. We agree this before any retainer begins.
- 4
Onboarding month
Site visits to your locations, introductions to your team, baseline policy and risk-assessment refresh. By the end of month one we are operational.
- 5
Steady state
The agreed cadence of check-ins, inspections, reports and on-call cover. Reviewed annually against changes in your business.
Common questions about the retainer
What is a competent person under MHSWR Reg 7?
Every UK employer must appoint one or more competent persons to help comply with their legal duties. 'Competent' means sufficient training, experience or knowledge to identify hazards, advise on controls, and respond to incidents. Failing to appoint one is itself a breach of the regulations.
Do we still need an internal H&S person?
Not legally, if external competence is appointed. But in practice, mid-market businesses benefit from an internal coordinator who manages day-to-day, paired with an external retainer for technical depth and independent challenge. We work in both setups.
What happens if we have an incident at 11pm on a Saturday?
Standard and Enterprise tiers include same-working-day or 24-hour on-call cover. We help you triage reportability (RIDDOR), preserve the scene where appropriate, and start the investigation. HSE liaison is included if it escalates.
Can we change tier as we grow (or shrink)?
Yes. Tiers are reviewed annually, and either party can step up or down with 30 days notice. We have no interest in selling you a tier you have outgrown the need for.
Want a competent person on call?
30 minutes on the phone is enough to know if we are a fit. No commitment, no fee, no marketing follow-up if it isn't.