Hi Sergey,

I had also heard of people getting over 50 pounds an hour, but not that many. These rates were also 7/8 years ago so they may have gone up (or down).

With respect to the "not working directly for the client" clause. This I think is/was pretty standard, but most people were of the opinion that it was not enforceable by law as it could deprive you of the right to earn a living. However, I never saw it as a real problem, in my experience most clients won't approach you to work directly for them after hiring through an agency. If they do, they tend to be penny pinchers and you may have trouble collecting payment from them.

>Dear Frank,
>
>Thank you very much for your reply.
>
>You gave me very interesting information and figures. Some people told that they work for 50 GBP per hour and higher figures for agency. Unfortunately, I have not possibility to find contract "through word of mouth" because of a lot of work at the place where I am working now, but everything can change tomorrow :)
>
>Anyway, thank you very much for sharing your experience on UK IT market.
>
>
>>Hi Sergey,
>>
>>I haven't worked in the UK since 1998, but worked there for about 5 years prior to that. It was easiest for me, since I had no contacts in the UK, to find work through an agency, when looking for contract work. In my case the agency only added on about 12 to 15% to my fees. After working there for a while I was able to get contracts through word of mouth without an agency being involved.
>>
>>Back then fees were between 20 GBP to 40GBP depending on experience/skill.
>>