Contracting Awards 2025 unveils ‘stellar’ shortlist

The Contracting Awards 2025, sponsored by ContractorUK, has unveiled a shortlist of 118 companies ‘going above and beyond' for contractors.

The shortlist shows one provider has been nominated four times, nine have been nominated three times, and ten others have been nominated twice.

Twenty companies at the Contracting Awards 2025 securing more than one slot on the shortlist indicates that the UK contractor market is in a state of consolidation.

‘Recognise and reward 2025’s best contractor service providers’

Revealed on Thursday August 7th 2025, the identity of the four-time finalist as well as the names of the three-time and two-time finalists, are listed below.

But the 20 multiple category shortlistees aren’t alone in setting new records at the Contracting Awards 2025, which is now in its seventh year.

The awards itself say it will ‘recognise and reward service providers and individuals who deliver excellence…to contractors’ in an unprecedented 30 different categories, up from 23 previously.

‘Best Umbrella Company Customer Service’  

New categories include ‘Best Supplier to the Contracting Industry’ (sponsored by My Digital) and ‘Best Umbrella Company Customer Service’(sponsored by CMR).

Other new categories at The Contracting Awards 2025 are ‘Best Financial Services Company,’ ‘Best Recruitment Agency Back-Office Team,’ and ‘Best Contractor Industry New Entrant.’

In keeping with the 2024 Contracting Awards, contractor industry ‘A-listers’ have formed a judging panel to scrutinise the (now closed) submissions.

It is from those submissions following a call for entries in March 2025 that the 118 companies have now been shortlisted (‘nominated’).

‘Special discount’

And it is those 118 shortlistees or finalists who now stand a chance of lifting a Contracting Award on November 12th 2025, at London’s Hilton, 22 Park Lane W1K 1BE.

Tickets to the black-tie event offering networking, dinner and dancing are available here.

At the time of writing, a ‘special discount’ applies on the purchase of 10 tickets and five tickets.

And tickets for a half-table, and a 10-person table (which includes five bottles of wine), still seem to be available.

‘Seriously impressed with Contracting Awards 2025 entries’

Philip Ross, a cybersecurity contractor who is also the vice-chair of Labour Business, is one of the new judges for 2025.

“I agreed to be a judge for The Contracting Awards 2025 earlier in the year. I was very pleased to have been asked,” he says.

“Of course, [only] now [do] I realise how much work is involved. But I have to say that, as a cynical contractor, I am seriously impressed with the entries that have been made, as I look at them all with the eyes of a contractor and lived experience.”

‘Network in November with contractor industry leaders and show your thought leadership’

Procurement management consultant Adam Jordan, also a new judge for 2025, says there are five things to gain on November 12th -- beyond a shiny new addition to the corporate mantlepiece. 

“Winning, or even being shortlisted, is a powerful endorsement of your excellence and innovation, setting you apart from competitors.

“You gain industry recognition; boost your brand, attract new clients, network with industry leaders [and fifth, you potentially get to], showcase your thought leadership,” he said.

‘To win at the Contracting Awards 2025, you need impressive statistics, plus passion’

As to what the nine judges will look for to separate the finalists, Shelley Ankers-Wainwright, another judge at the Contracting Awards 2025, gave a clue.

Boss at Umbrella Ready, Ankers-Wainwright spoke of the ‘strong submissions’ needing to have both ‘impressive stats’ and a ‘passion that shines through.’

With one provider jostling for four titles, and 20 providers jostling for at least two titles, “one of the biggest nights of the year for the contracting industry,” as JGR Recruitment (sponsor of ‘Best Umbrella – 500 clients') puts it, might even be to downplay it.

‘Ceremony on November 12th 2025 will spotlight only the above-and-beyond service providers’

Contracting Awards 2025 head judge Anthony Sherick, a director at the PHA Group, says:

"On Wednesday November 12th 2025, at the Contracting Awards 2025 ceremony, we will spotlight those service providers and individuals who, according to nine judges, have truly gone above and beyond in the last 12 months to support contractors.

"But for now, these are the 118 truly stand-out companies whose work helps contractors do their work better. Therefore, just to be on this stellar shortlist, as a finalist for the Contracting Awards 2025, is no mean feat. We are so excited for the industry to get together for a night of networking and celebration.”

Companies nominated in more than one category for the Contracting Awards 2025, are:

NOMINATED FOUR TIMES -- Contractor Financials Ltd

• Best Contractor Innovation
• Best Contractor Insurance Provider or Broker
• Best Contractor Mortgage Provider or Broker
• Best Financial Services Company

NOMINATED THREE TIMES -- Clarity Umbrella Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company -Under 500 Clients
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service
• Best Supplier to the Contracting Industry

NOMINATED THREE TIMES – Generate FS Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company – Over 3,000 Clients
• Best International Contractor Provider
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

NOMINATED THREE TIMES -- ICS Accounting

• Best Umbrella Company – 1,000-3,000 Clients
• Best Contractor Accountancy – 500-1,000 Clients
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

NOMINATED THREE TIMES – In Sync Group Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company 1,000-3,000 Clients
• Best Contractor Accountancy – Over 3,000 Clients
• Best Supplier to the Contracting Industry

NOMINATED THREE TIMES – Liquid Friday Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company – Over 3,000 Clients
• Best Contractor Innovation
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

NOMINATED THREE TIMES – PayStream Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company – Over 3,000 Clients
• Best Contractor Accountancy – Over 3,000 Clients
• Best Contractor Screening & Verification Provider

NOMINATED THREE TIMES – Qdos Ltd

• Best Contractor Insurance Provider or Broker
• Best Legal, Compliance or Tax Provider
• Best Supplier to the Contracting Industry

NOMINATED THREE TIMES – Sapphire Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company – Over 3,000 Clients
• Best Contractor Accountancy – 500-1,000 Clients
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

NOMINATED THREE TIMES – Yuno Juno Ltd

• Best Contractor Innovation
• Best International Contractor Provider
• Best Career Product, Service or Jobsite

NOMINATED TWICE – Brookson Financial Ltd

• Best Contractor Mortgage Provider or Broker
• Best Contractor Pension Provider or Broker

NOMINATED TWICE – Crunch Ltd

• Best Contractor Accountancy – 500-1,000 Clients
• Best Accounting Software for Contractors

NOMINATED TWICE – Dasa Umbrella Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company 1,000-3,000 Clients
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

NOMINATED TWICE – DNS Accountants Ltd

• Best Contractor Accountancy – 500-1,000 Clients
• Best Legal, Compliance or Tax Provider

NOMINATED TWICE – Fair Pay Services Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company 1,000-3,000 Clients
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

NOMINATED TWICE – Freelancer Financials

• Best Contractor Mortgage Provider or Broker
• Best Financial Services Company

NOMINATED TWICE – NWM Ltd

• Best Umbrella Company 1,000-3,000 Clients
• Best Umbrella Company Customer Service

NOMINATED TWICE – SafeRec Ltd

• Best Contractor Innovation
• Best Supplier to the Contracting Industry

NOMINATED TWICE – Thrivr Ltd

• Best Contractor Innovation
• Best Supplier to the Contracting Industry

NOMINATED TWICE – Workwell Outsourcing Ltd

• Best Payroll Software
• Best Recruitment Agency Back-Office Team

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Editor’s Note: Above, companies are counted as separate based on how their names appear on the shortlist of the Contracting Awards 2025 website.

The effect is that, despite not being reported here as such, some groups might consider themselves to be a ‘two-category’ finalist, for example, where there are two differently named companies shortlisted in two different categories but that are part of their same group.

Please visit this webpage for the full list of Contracting Awards 2025 finalists, including those nominated in a single category.