Peninsula alternatives for UK small businesses in 2026
Quick answer: The main alternatives to Peninsula for a UK SME are Citation, Croner, BrightHR, WorkNest, Avensure and independent regional consultancies such as Beagle HR. Two things separate them: whether they publish their prices, and how long they expect you to commit. BrightHR publishes both its prices and its contract lengths. Citation publishes its terms but no figures. Croner publishes neither. Independent consultancies typically work on twelve-month or rolling terms. Before comparing monthly fees, work out the total cost across the full contract term, and find out how much notice you have to give to leave.
The one number nobody quotes you
Every provider in this market sells on the monthly figure. The number that actually matters is the monthly figure multiplied by the contract term, plus the annual increases built into the terms. When the Competition and Markets Authority reviewed this sector in 2016, third parties told it that contracts typically last between three and ten years. A £300 a month contract is not a £300 decision. Over five years it is an £18,000 decision, before any uplift.
So ask three questions of anyone you are considering, and get the answers in writing:
- How long is the initial term?
- How much notice do I have to give, and by when, to stop it renewing?
- What does it cost me to leave early?
The alternatives, compared
| Provider | What it is | Prices published? | Contract |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citation | National group bundling HR, health and safety, ISO certification and software. Majority owned by KKR and Hg. | No. Pricing page carries no figures. | Term set individually. Renews for a further period equal to the initial term unless six months’ notice given. Where the parties agree to terminate, 75% of the charges not yet invoiced for the remainder is payable. |
| Croner | Employment law and HR, name dating to 1941, 24-hour advice line, tribunal representation and legal expenses insurance. Part of Peninsula Group. | No. Pricing page carries no figures. | Not published. We could find no client service terms on croner.co.uk as at 4th August 2026. |
| BrightHR | HR software with an optional advice line. Part of Peninsula Group. | Yes. From £16.67 per employee per month, minimum £83.35, excluding tax. | 24, 36 or 60 months. Renews for the same period unless 90 days’ notice given. Up to 7% uplift at renewal. |
| WorkNest | HR and employment law support with health and safety, aimed at mid-sized employers and the education and care sectors. | No | Not published. Ask for the term in writing. |
| Avensure | National outsourced HR and employment law for SMEs, frequently named in best-of roundups. | No | Not published. Ask for the term in writing. |
| Independent consultancies (including Beagle HR) | A named consultant working as your HR function. Beagle HR is in Weybridge and covers Surrey, Hampshire and south west London. | Beagle HR publishes starting prices. Retained support from £249 per month. | Beagle HR: initial 12-month term, then rolling 30-day notice. |
How to choose between them
Choose a national provider if
- You need a genuine 24-hour advice line.
- You need health and safety consultants on site, or ISO, SSIP or CHAS accreditation for tendering.
- You want insurance-backed tribunal cover so a claim is a covered cost rather than an invoice.
- You are a larger employer with constant, high-volume HR activity, and a long fixed term suits your budgeting.
Choose software if
- Your real problem is administrative rather than legal: holiday, absence, rotas and documents.
- You already have someone in-house who is confident handling people issues.
Choose an independent consultancy if
- You want the same named person every time, who has read your contracts and met your managers.
- You want to be able to leave without giving half a year’s notice.
- You want someone in the room for the difficult meeting.
- You are under about thirty staff, where a full-time HR hire is not justified but Googling it yourself has stopped being safe.
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest alternative to Peninsula?
On published entry price, BrightHR, at a minimum of £83.35 a month excluding tax, though that buys software rather than a consultant. Among consultancies that publish prices, Beagle HR starts at £249 per month for retained support. Most national providers publish no figures at all, so a like-for-like comparison means getting written quotes with the contract term stated on each.
Are Peninsula, Croner and BrightHR the same company?
They are all part of the Peninsula Group. Croner Group Limited is a subsidiary of Peninsula Business Services Group, and BrightHR is a Peninsula business. If you are shortlisting all three against each other, you are comparing three brands with one owner.
How do I get out of an HR contract I have already signed?
Start with the contract itself. Find the initial term, the notice period and the renewal clause, and work out the last date you can serve notice. Diarise it now, because the commonest way people end up in a second full term is missing that date. If you are already past it, ask for the early termination figure in writing and take advice before you agree anything. Beagle HR will read your existing agreement and tell you where you stand, at no charge, before you decide whether to move.
Can I switch providers mid-contract?
You can appoint someone new at any time, but you may still be liable for the remaining fees under your existing agreement. In practice most businesses run the two in parallel for the last few months of a term, so the handover of contracts, policies and handbooks is finished before the old cover ends.
All the providers above are legitimate businesses with substantial client bases and good review scores. The right choice depends on your size, your sector, what you actually need help with, and how long a commitment suits you. Prices, terms and ownership change, so confirm current terms directly with each provider before you decide.
Accuracy note: compiled from published pricing pages, published terms and conditions, Companies House filings, the CMA’s 2016 Peninsula and Croner merger decision, and Trustpilot, all checked on 4th August 2026. WorkNest and Avensure contract terms are recorded as not published because we could not locate them, not because they do not exist.