Home / HR Services / Small businesses
No HR department? No problem. Clearpath UK gives small businesses a named, CIPD-qualified HR adviser on call, without the cost of hiring in-house.
From contracts and handbooks to a difficult disciplinary, we handle the people side of your business so you can get on with running it.
HR for small businesses
In a small business, one people problem can take up days of your time and put the whole business at risk.
Most small business owners handle HR themselves, on top of everything else. That works until a staff member goes off sick long-term, a grievance lands on your desk or you need to let someone go.
Employment law is also changing. The Employment Rights Act 2025 is bringing in changes through 2026 and 2027, including unfair dismissal protection after six months from January 2027.
Clearpath UK gives you an experienced HR adviser to call whenever you need one, and makes sure your documents and processes protect you before problems start.
Not sure what you need? Tell us about your business and we’ll recommend the right level of support.
Get a price →What’s included
Choose ongoing support or help with a single issue. Most small businesses use us for:
Call or email your adviser whenever a question comes up, from holiday pay to a tricky conversation.
Employment contracts, a staff handbook and policies written for your business and kept up to date.
Step-by-step support to handle issues fairly and in line with the Acas Code of Practice.
Managing short and long-term absence, return-to-work interviews and fit notes.
Job offers, right to work checks, probation reviews and inductions done properly.
We tell you what is changing, when, and exactly what you need to do.
How it works
No long forms and no hard sell. Getting started takes a few minutes.
Answer five quick questions online, or call us. It takes under a minute.
An adviser calls to understand what you need and gives you a no-obligation price.
We review your contracts and policies and are on hand whenever you need advice.
Why outsource
An outsourced HR partner gives you expert support when you need it, without the cost of a full-time hire.
You get an experienced HR adviser for a fraction of the cost of employing one.
A full-time HR manager is a significant salary before on-costs. Outsourced HR gives you the same expertise for a monthly fee, or pay as you go.
Most tribunal claims start with a process that was not handled properly. Getting advice early is far cheaper than defending a claim.
Stop spending evenings searching for answers. Your adviser tells you what to do and gives you the letters to do it.
As you take on more staff, we grow with you, from your first employee to your fiftieth and beyond.
Peace of mind
You insure your premises, vehicles and equipment. Your people are your biggest risk, and a single employment dispute can cost far more than a year of HR support.
Tribunal claims can now be made up to six months after an event, and from January 2027 the cap on unfair dismissal compensation is removed. Prevention costs far less than a claim.
Get a price →Clearpath UK provides HR and employment law support. We are not an insurance provider.
Common problems we solve
These are the issues small business owners bring to us most often. Each one is easier to solve with advice at the start.
Poor performance, lateness or conduct issues handled fairly, with the right warnings and records.
Staff working without a written statement of terms, which every employee and worker must have from day one.
A clear plan for staying in touch, getting medical input and deciding next steps fairly.
Ending employment, including during probation, in a way that reduces the risk of a claim.
Handbooks that do not reflect day-one sick pay, the harassment prevention duty or other recent changes.
Probation and performance processes that work once unfair dismissal protection starts after six months.
Whatever the issue, we’ll give you clear advice and the documents to act on it.
Get a price →FAQs
Straight answers to the questions small business owners ask us most.
It depends on your number of staff and the support you need. We offer fixed monthly packages and pay-as-you-go support. Get a price and we’ll give you a clear quote.
Employment law applies from your first employee. Even a small team needs compliant contracts, a fair process for problems and correct pay and leave.
Yes. Many businesses come to us with a single problem, such as a disciplinary or a dismissal, and we can support that on its own.
Yes. You get a named adviser who gets to know your business, so you do not have to explain everything from scratch.
Yes. Our free HR toolkit includes checklists, letters and forms for common HR tasks.
Tell us how many staff you have and what you need. We’ll recommend the right support and give you a clear price.
Sectors we support
Every sector has its own pressure points. We know the issues that come up most in yours.
You may also need
Services that often go hand in hand with outsourced HR support.