Hiring temporary architecture staff: a guide for practices

Temporary staff give a practice extra capacity without a permanent hire. Practices use them for a project stage, a planning or tender deadline, a model that needs building quickly, a busy spell, or to cover parental leave and other absence. A good temp joins the team, works on your projects and leaves when the work is done, or stays if you both want them to.

How it works with Architecture Social

Start with a short brief: the work, the project stage, the software, when you need someone, for how long, the hours and where they will work. We find people who are available and suited to the work, and you meet them before deciding.

Before work starts we agree the assignment in writing: the person, the hourly charge, the dates, the hours, who approves timesheets and who receives invoices. The temp is normally employed through an umbrella company, so they are not on your payroll. Each week you approve their timesheet and we invoice for the hours worked at the agreed hourly charge. There is no introduction fee.

What your practice is responsible for

You direct the day-to-day work, give the temp a proper induction, including health and safety, and approve timesheets promptly so they are paid on time. From their first day a temp can use the same shared facilities as your staff, such as kitchens, parking or transport between sites.

After 12 weeks in the same role a temp qualifies for equal treatment: the same pay, automatic pension enrolment and paid annual leave as a comparable person you employ directly. Tell us early how your own staff in that role are paid, so the charge can reflect it. GOV.UK sets out the agency worker rules.

IR35 and umbrella companies

If someone works for you through their own limited company and your practice is medium or large, you must decide their IR35 status and give them a status determination statement. A temp employed through an umbrella company is already taxed through PAYE, so that decision does not arise in the same way.

Since 6 April 2026 the agency that supplies a temp is responsible for making sure the umbrella company operates PAYE correctly; where no agency is involved, that responsibility falls on the practice. We only use umbrella companies we have an agreement with. HMRC explains the rules.

Costs, extensions and overtime

The hourly charge covers the temp's pay through the umbrella company, the employer costs that go with it and our fee, with VAT on top. Overtime and any change to the hours are agreed in writing before they are worked. If you want to extend an assignment, tell us a few weeks before it ends so the paperwork matches.

From temporary to permanent

If a temp fits the team and you want to employ them directly, talk to us first. A transfer fee applies, as set out in the assignment paperwork, and we will make the move straightforward for both of you.

Getting started

Tell us the work and the timing through the client enquiry, or read how recruitment with Architecture Social works for permanent roles.