Fractional hiring goes mainstream: 57% of young UK businesses use it or are considering it

What the survey found

Startups.co.uk surveyed 295 founders across the UK. According to its notes to editors, the survey was carried out in October 2026 among UK businesses aged up to ten years, including founders, owners and C-suite executives.

29% of founders said they are actively recruiting fractional or freelance talent, and a further 28% are considering it. Just 42% said they prioritise full-time employee roles (Startups.co.uk). Taken together, 57% have either hired fractional, part-time or freelance workers or are considering doing so (Onrec).

Zohra Huda, Editor of Startups.co.uk, said: “Facing rising operational costs and recruitment risks, startup leaders are swapping rigid 40-hour contracts for agile, fractional talent” (Onrec).

A small survey, but a consistent signal

The sample is small and covers only younger businesses, so the figures are best read as a direction of travel rather than a picture of every UK employer. Only the 29% are already recruiting this way; the 28% are still considering it.

The interim market points the same way. In its September 2026 update, Russam reported that more than one in five of its interim assignments over the previous three months were fractional, and that its number of projects in the last 180 days was 8% higher than in the previous 180 days. Its managing director wrote that the interim manager “is increasingly being bought for what they can achieve, rather than simply the vacancy they can cover”.

Why account management suits a fractional model

Plenty of client work does not need a full-time hire. Keeping communication moving, running client calls, chasing follow-ups and pulling together proposals can often be covered in a set number of hours a week, provided the person doing it is experienced and the handover is clear.

That is where a fractional or interim account manager can help: covering parental leave or a busy quarter, supporting a new client win before you are ready to recruit, or giving a growing business senior account management without a permanent salary.

Questions to ask before you bring in fractional support

• What is the scope? Agree the accounts, priorities and hours up front, and how extra work will be quoted.
• Whose name do clients see? For agencies, the client relationship should stay with you, with the support working within your team.
• How will access be handled? Decide which inboxes, tools and files are shared, and how confidentiality is covered.
• What happens at handover? A written handover protects the relationship at both ends. Our account handover checklist is a useful starting point.
• How will you judge success? Agree what good looks like, such as response times, client feedback or proposals delivered.

How Marketing Support Partners can help

Marketing Support Partners provides remote client and account management for agencies and businesses, working within your team while your clients remain your clients. Packages run from one week to six months and beyond, with the time included and the fee agreed upfront. See our flexible support and pricing, or read about our agency support and team management.