CATEGORY DETAILS 2026

THE AWARDS ARE FREE TO ENTER!

Entrants may enter more than one category but must provide a bespoke entry for each.

A strong entry should include:

A company overview
A detailed account of the benefit you provide contractors
How you deliver customer service & results
What makes your company stand out
Client testimonials/case studies
How the business has grown or innovated in the last 12 months
Addressing the specific criteria listed for your category

ENTER HERE

Entries close on Friday 8 May

BEST umbrella company - under 500 clients

This category is looking for the best umbrella companies, supporting the contractor market with under 500 clients. You must be able to show excellence in customer service, your commitment to compliance, and demonstrate what you do to provide excellent customer service as well as added value for your customer. The number of clients in this category refers to the number of contractors on your payroll.

BEST umbrella company - 500-1,000 clients

BEST umbrella company - 1,000-3,000 clients

This category is looking for the best umbrella companies, supporting the contractor market with between 1,000 and 3,000 clients. You must be able to show excellence in customer service, your commitment to compliance, and demonstrate what you do to provide excellent customer service as well as added value for your customer. The number of clients in this category refers to the number of contractors on your payroll.

BEST umbrella company - over 3,000 clients

Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

Innovation in Contractor Services

Have you brought a new solution or service to the market? Are you creating innovations in the industry that fulfil a need in the market? This category rewards the companies that are creating products that make a difference in the contracting industry. Entrants could be an existing company that has introduced a new product or a completely new entrant into the market. This could be a product or service that shows deliverable benefits to the market and has been launched in the last 24 months.

International Contractor Services Provider of the Year

Does your company provide services for UK contractors to work abroad—such as financial support and advice, compliant payroll services, or placing contractors abroad? Entrants should demonstrate what support they provide to contractors, the volume of contractors they deal with, the value they provide, as well as the countries they support.

Best Contractor Insurance Provider or Broker

Are you a successful insurance provider or broker? We are looking for the insurance providers or brokers offering the best services to contractors through exceptional innovations, excellent customer service, value for money, and clear claim policies. Demonstrate the benefits of your work, what sets you apart from competitors, and the value you add to contractors.

Best Contractor Mortgage Provider or Broker

This award recognises the mortgage providers achieving results for contractors. We are looking for providers who are leading the pack in innovation, excellent customer service and clear communications. Customer service and proven results are essential to demonstrate in this category. Entrants should show the breadth of products that they offer and provide testimonials as well as case studies.

Best Legal, Compliance or Tax Provider

Best Payroll Software

This award recognises the payroll software providing great results for umbrella companies, accountants, recruitment agencies, and contractors. We are looking for B2B providers who lead the pack in innovation, UX, and customer service, with demonstrable evidence of results, benefits, and USPs for umbrella companies, accountants, recruitment agencies and contractors. Please provide clear product benefits of your software and your profile in the contracting market.

Best Liquidation Provider

Are you the best liquidation provider for contractors? We are looking for MVL, insolvency, and liquidation providers who are going above and beyond to support contractors. Entrants should demonstrate excellent customer service, value for money, and have extensive knowledge of the industry. Please provide evidence of contractor satisfaction and details of the benefits of your service for contractors.

Best Contractor Pension Provider or Broker

This award recognises the pension brokers and providers achieving results for contractors. We are looking for providers who are leading the pack in innovation, customer service, and clear communications. Customer service and proven results are essential to demonstrate in this category. Entrants should show the quality of their advice or products and provide testimonials as well as case studies.

Best Contractor Screening and Verification Provider

This award recognises companies providing outstanding care and support to contractors during onboarding. As screening and verification are essential for contractors to start work quickly, we are looking for technology that streamlines this process. Please provide evidence of how your product supports customers through its functionality or innovation, by providing testimonials, case studies, and proven results.

Outstanding Career Product, Service or Jobsite

This award recognises companies providing outstanding career opportunities, job search assistance, career advice, or career support to contractors. Securing contracts is fundamental to a contractor’s success. You should provide evidence of how your product supports contractors, including data to back this up. Product functionality or service offering should be included along with any testimonials, case studies, or reviews. Fundamentally, the judges want to see how your offering supports contractors with their career.

Excellence in Contracting Financial Services

This award honours organisations that have demonstrated exceptional performance and leadership within the financial services sector. Entrants should provide examples of customer satisfaction, social responsibility, and leadership within the industry.

Outstanding Supplier to the Contracting Industry

This award recognises organisations that provide essential products, services, or solutions to those in the contracting industry and maintain a great reputation. The supplier should contribute positively to the contractor ecosystem by sharing industry knowledge and making an impact through PR, content, training, working groups, mentorship, or other similar activities.

Best Contractor Accountant

Awarded to an individual, this award recognises the accountant who goes above and beyond for their contractor clients. You should demonstrate how you provide excellence in customer care and show how you have expanded your knowledge base—for example, additional training courses or other individual awards you have received. We recommend including customer testimonials and a supporting letter from your company director.

Best Contractor Accountancy – Under 500 clients

This category recognises excellence in providing accounting services to the contracting community for under 500 clients. Does your company provide outstanding customer service, expert advice, and represent great value for money? Entrants should provide demonstrable examples of excellent customer service, how you stand out from the competition, and how you add value to your contractors.

Best Contractor Accountancy – 500 - 1000 clients

This category recognises excellence in providing accounting services to the contracting community for 500 - 1,000 clients. Does your company provide outstanding customer service, expert advice, and represent great value for money? Entrants should provide demonstrable examples of excellent customer service, how you stand out from the competition, and how you add value to your contractors.

Best Contractor Accountancy – 1,000 - 3,000 clients

Best Contractor Accountancy – Over 3,000 clients

Best Accounting Software for Contractors

This award recognises the accounting software providing outstanding results for contractors. We are looking for providers who lead the pack in innovation, UX, and customer service, with demonstrable evidence of results, benefits, and USPs for contractors. Please provide clear product benefits of your software and your profile in the contracting market.

Best Contractor Recruitment Agency

Are you the best contractor recruitment agency? You should demonstrate excellence in communication, exceptional customer service, and strong placement results. This award recognises recruitment firms going above and beyond for contractors by providing excellent compliance, efficient payroll, and a wide variety of roles and clients. Please provide examples of both candidate and client satisfaction.

Best Contractor Recruiter

Awarded to an individual, this award recognises the recruiter who goes above and beyond for both contractors and clients. You should demonstrate excellence in customer care and show how you have expanded your knowledge base—for example, through additional training or any recognition you have received. We recommend including placement results, testimonials from contractor candidates, and a supporting letter from your company director.

Excellence in AI and Automation for Contractors

This award recognises organisations that are using AI and automation to deliver measurable benefits to contractors. We are looking for companies that are using technology to streamline processes, improve compliance, enhance customer experience and create efficiencies or benefits for contractors – or the services that they provide for contractors.

Entrants should demonstrate how their AI-driven tools, platforms or automated solutions are making a tangible difference – whether through improved accuracy, faster onboarding, smarter financial management, enhanced reporting, efficiencies or better communication. Please provide clear examples of practical usage and user benefits, as well as with testimonials or case studies where possible.

Excellence in Compliance and Risk Management

This category recognises organisations that are setting the standard for compliance and risk management within the contracting industry. We are looking for companies that demonstrate strong processes, clear communication, and a proactive approach to protecting contractors, agencies, and clients.

Entrants should show how their compliance frameworks, risk mitigation strategies, policies, training, technology or advisory support reduce risk, protect contractors, ensure regulatory compliance, and promote best practice across the sector. Provide examples of successful outcomes and measurable impact.

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Once you go to the entry platform you will be asked to register.

You can create a draft and come back to it at anytime.

If you have any questions or do not quite fit into these categories, do get in touch with us at enquiriescontractingawards@redactive.co.uk.

Please ensure you have read the entry terms and conditions before entry and note that we reserve the right to change entry criteria at any point if we feel it is necessary to improve the category.

We also reserve the right to remove a category at any point should there not be enough entries or for any other reason.