Visiting Angels first UK franchise hits £2million turnover

In-home care provider, Visiting Angels, celebrated a momentous milestone this month as its first franchise office reached a turnover of £2million.

Just six months after breaking the £1million mark, the Sheffield-based office has doubled in size, as well as now providing over 1,750 weekly hours of care to their clients. Managing Director, Dan Archer is thrilled with just how much the business has grown.

“When we launched in 2017, we projected a million-pound turnover in year three. So, to achieve that, smash through it and double it within six months is astounding. It just goes to show that despite the recent economic uncertainty, it is possible to grow a profitable business in the care sector with the right team. It also indicates that our ‘carer-centric’ approach, where we put our carers at the heart of the business, is the right thing to do. It is an incredibly proud moment indeed.”

Established in the US in 1998, Visiting Angels is one of America’s largest care franchises, with over 600 offices operating in five countries. Dan was the first to bring the brand to the UK and, upon its launch in 2017, Visiting Angels was the nation’s first ‘carer-centric’ in-home care provider. This approach includes offering care workers a minimum wage of £10ph with guaranteed annual increases, a generous mileage allowance, regular car servicing and valeting, a mobile phone and much more. All of this helps to ensure that everyone feels valued.

Dan added: “It was an incredibly proud moment, especially as we’re seeing such incredible growth throughout the rest of the UK network too!”

“It’s amazing, not just for the Sheffield office, but for all of us at Visiting Angels,” said Lynn James, franchisee of North Surrey. Lynn launched her franchise with her husband, Chris, in July after noticing some problems within the care industry. “My previous roles made it clear that people have very different needs and a one-size-fits-all approach to care simply doesn’t work. Caregivers are truly unsung heroes who need to be allowed to care, not just perform tasks. Visiting Angels is in a position for change and this milestone is an indication of exactly that.”

“The first milestone was a great achievement – this second one is excellent,” said Lynn’s fellow franchisee, Gareth Redmayne, who launched Visiting Angels South Hertfordshire in September 2019. “What makes this achievement extra special is how I, along with the rest of the UK network, can envisage where our business is heading and how far we can take it in the future. Having something like this to strive towards is extremely inspiring.”

The story of the Sheffield franchise is nothing short of spectacular. Within a year of its launch, Dan and his team were awarded ‘Best International Franchise’ at Visiting Angels’ annual conference in Philadelphia, crowned as the fastest-growing office in the brand’s history. Alongside being shortlisted as finalists in the Great British Care Awards for two years in a row, these financial milestones recognise both its exceptional approach to its care workers and its management team.