Fast-growing recruitment firm Sanctuary Personnel has reported a ninth consecutive increase in annual revenue.

The Ipswich-based group, a member of the Top 100 listing of the 100 largest companies based in Suffolk and Norfolk, saw turnover grow by 22% in the year to October 31, 2015, to £105.02m, following on from revenue growth of 41% in the previous 12 months.

In accounts newly filed at Companies House, Sanctuary says last year’s increase reflected continued growth in its social work business, including an increase in the amount of work undertaken by special project teams.

“The rate of growth is particularly pleasing given the continued pressures on public finances,” the company’s report says.

Operating profit dipped from £5.42m the previous year to £4.147m although this largely refelected a one-off expense of £1m in relation to an irrecoverable loan, along with a dip in gross profit margin from 15% to 14%.

An increase in net interest charges left pre-tax profit for the year 27% lower at £3.441m. However, net current assets (excluding long term debtors) increased to £3.009m at the year end, up from £2.556m a year earlier.

The report adds: “The company’s key non-financial performance indicator is the weekly average number of workers it has out on plancement. This has shown an increase of 23% over the course of the financial year.”

Sanctuary Personnel is the umbrella company for specialist businesses including Sanctuary Social Care, Sanctuary Health and Sanctuary Criminal Justice.

Sanctuary Social Care is the largest independent provider of social workers in the UK, offering recruitment services to more than 160 local authorities, private organisations and charities as well as a social work delivery service through its Skylakes division.

In May last year, Sanctuary was named Best Public Sector Recruitment Agency at the Recruiter Awards for Excellence, and was also highly commended in the Best Candidate Care category at the same event..

The company’s key non-financial performance indicator is the weekly average number of workers it has out on plancement. This has shown an increase of 23%

Sanctuary Personnel

Sanctuary Personnel staff celebrating the group’s Best Public Sector Recruitment Agency award last year. Picture: Contributed