To start a UK PR agency: register as a limited company or sole trader, set up professional indemnity insurance, join PRCA for credibility, build a portfolio of 2-3 initial clients (usually from previous employment network), set transparent rates, and focus on a specific sector or service specialism rather than trying to be a full-service generalist from day one.
First 100 days checklist
- Company registration (Companies House).
- PI insurance (from £300-£1,500 per year).
- PRCA or CIPR professional body membership.
- GDPR-compliant data processes.
- Cloud tools: Cision, MuckRack, Ahrefs, Google Workspace.
- Website with case studies.
- First 2-3 client engagements.