A skyline panaromic photo of Manchester, UK at sunset

HR outsourcing services and manager training for SMEs, charities and churches

We equip and support leaders to be calm and confident in their leadership, so they can create safe work environments for all people.

Empower others
Create safety
Build trust
Inspire confidence
Support leaders
Guide change
Nurture growth
Champion fairness
Strengthen teams
Foster belonging
, because people matter.

HR consultancy services

HR Services and Learning and Development

We offer an holistic range of HR support and manager training courses for small businesses, charities and churches in the UK and internationally.

HR Outsourcing Services

Our integrated HR management service.

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HR Consultancy Services

Specialist consultancy for all HR practices.

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Learning and Development

Tailored courses for the needs of your organisation.

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Some of our clients across commercial, charity and church organisations

Alexander Windows logo
AoG logo
CBN Europe logo
ABP logo
24-7 Prayer logo
BB Huddds logo
Audacious logo
Bollington Brew logo
Christian Jobs logo
EA Members logo
Kanga logo
Kinetik logo
Out Daily Bread logo
The Chaplaincy logo
The Womens Center Stockport logo

AWARD-WINNING BREATHE HR PARTNER

We are a platinum partner with Breathe HR software and won Partner of the Month in November 2025

We have been partnered with Breathe HR for over 5 years and are experts in utilising this software for the needs of businesses, charities and churches. Book a call with us today to setup a two month free trial!

Nicci and Rob Birley, Directors of Cornerstone Resources, receiving Breathe HR award at awards ceremony

Testimonials

Trusted by leaders across the UK

Hear how we help businesses, charities, and churches build confident, compliant teams.

Having just taken over the management of a small company after working in the NHS for over 20 years I felt very much out of my depth with no HR department to call on. I was then recommended Cornerstone Resources who have been amazing. I cannot speak highly enough of them. Their availability, information, support, patience and advice at just the right level I am so grateful for. I certainly can recommend them to anyone who is looking for HR support.

Esther Barr

General Manager

Eventide Care Home

We are so pleased with the HR support and expertise that Cornerstone bring to our operations. Their knowledge and resources are excellent, their approach is friendly and productive, and the result is an excellent-value package that works perfectly for Swift. If you want the security of a competent HR consultancy, with a holistic and caring approach, then we strongly recommend this company.

Martin Lawson

Director

The Swift Organisation

We have found Nicci and Cornerstone Resources to be fantastic to work with. Her flexible approach and ability to understand our specific needs enables us to get on with our day to day, confident that we have the best professional HR advice available. Nicci truly took time to understand our business and we are very grateful for all the support she has offered to us over the last two years. I would highly recommend Cornerstone Resources and have found them to be invaluable to us, so we can focus on the delivery of our services.

Ameera Fletcher

Director

Cre8 Macclesfield

Cornerstone go above and beyond when it comes to providing their HR consultancy service, their support both professionally and personally has greatly helped our company navigate its way through these past 18 months. When the Government's advice for employers was often contradictory and ever changing Nicci and the team provided comprehensive guidance underpinned with all the documentary records and communications required. A consultant who really listens, understands our business, and can quickly turnaround workable effective solutions is invaluable and this is exactly what Cornerstone does. Having Nicci and Rob with their wealth of HR experience and knowledge to lean on is empowering and we look forward to a long and productive association with them.

Sharon Hooley

Director

PATS

We highly recommend using Cornerstone Resources HR Consultancy. Having used them for nearly two years, we always value the approach and expertise they bring and their investment in understanding the needs of our organisation to offer a bespoke and tailored service.

Catherine Proudman

Central Support Team Leader

Ivy Manchester

I have worked with Cornerstone for around 18 months. They have been a great support offering excellent, up-to-date advice. I always get a quick response to an email or call back if she is unable to take a call. Very professional and personable. Thankyou.

Debbie Moore-Grundy

Manager

The Hollies

Nicci and the team are great to work with. They're efficient, knowledgeable, reliable and provide well-balanced advice. Their experience shines through, going the extra mile whenever a situation calls for it. Not only that, but they do it all with a great sense of humour, which is just what's needed sometimes! I would recommend them and their services without hesitation.

Lauren Tutton

Director

Alexander Windows

We have been working with Cornerstone for over 6 months now and it has been been fantastic to work with Rob and his team. I have been very happy with the level of response, turn around times and resource that has been provided. The company provides reliable HR support and services that have really enhanced our working practices and saved us time in terms of resources.

Alice Hulley

Director

Your Hospitality Group

Our HR services and consultancy are with Cornerstone Resources, and we have had a brilliant experience, with very patient, responsive and knowledgeable support from Rob, and it really feels like he's part of our organisation, not a separate entity. Their support during the shutdown and changing environment of employment laws has been timely and informative, and we're really happy to recommend them for guidance and support.

Alok Nayak

CEO

Milap

These guys at Cornerstone Resources are amazing, so helpful, professional and turn things round so quickly and nothing is too much of a problem. Their HR knowledge is awesome and they have provided structured guidance during these challenging business times. Totally reliable and I would recommend Cornerstone Resources to any business wanting an outsourced HR function. AMAZING

Mark Porter

Managing Director

Fix8 Group

I've worked with Rob on an employment issue and found him to be extremely professional, both in his understanding of the case and also the manner in which it was handled. As a small business with no HR department, in the future it'll be beneficial to be able to call on his expertise and navigate through various issues as they arise, knowing there will be a cost effective solution available.

Martin Taylor

Director

Peloton Events

As a small business owner, it is invaluable to have someone like Cornerstone Resources on hand to help with the tricky employment issues. Highly recommend.

Stephen W.

Director

Swift Tree Services

Highly recommend Cornerstone to anyone looking for HR support. They have been hugely helpful to our charity over the last few years, most recently helping us with the recruitment of a key staff role. The way Nicci has made the effort to really understand us as an organisation has been so valuable, and the communication, professionalism, and responsiveness from her has been outstanding. It's resulted in the recruitment of a brilliant new staff member that we're thrilled to have on board.

Matt Williamson

Google

Would highly recommend, brilliant service. Employed Cornerstone Resources for a complex disciplinary case recently and I couldn't have been more thankful for their guidance and expertise. Julie was the Senior Consultant I worked with, and she was wonderful. I was so impressed by how quickly she understood the intricacies of the case and the people involved. I'm very grateful to Julie for being able to work on the case with such little notice. As a small business owner, I felt out of my depth with the complex disciplinary case - Julie relieved a lot of the stress for me, from the moment she jumped on board.

Nicola Barter

Google

We engaged with Cornerstone as we are an SME looking to develop our People and HR strategy and function. The support we have had is fantastic. The support is flexible and fits our business need and circumstances. Cornerstone help keep us on track in our implementation of things despite our ongoing day-to-day distractions. Couldn't imagine being without their support now.

Paul Topping

Trustpilot

The team at Cornerstone listen so well to help deliver solutions that are contextually appropriate. This sets them apart. The tension between proffesional and relational is managed very well. Thank you for all your advice and help in creating an environment that allows employees to thrive.

Mark Steele

Google

Cornerstone have been our go to HR Consultants for all our HR related issues since August 2023. They are very professional and experts in what they do. Their services are tailored to your specific business needs above all else they are very affordable for any size of the business. We would highly recommend them especially for new start up businesses like ours.

Winston

Trustpilot

about us

Meet the Cornerstone Resources team

Our team have a wealth of experience in HR working internationally and across the UK in commmercial and non-profit sectors.

Empowering leaders, because people matter

We are a friendly and approachable consultancy and training provider who works hard for their clients. We aren't just sitting at the end of the phone waiting for you to call with an issue! We'll help you shape your people agenda with a strategic mindset whether that's for a charity, church or commercial business.

Meet the team
Cornerstone Resources team photo at The Message Trust, Manchester office
Nicci and Heather at The Pledge on a branded Cornerstone Resources table
Joe Husbands L&D Consultant smiling at someone in the office
Cornerstone Resources team at their Christmas celebration party in a restaurant

Frequently Asked Questions

Expert HR support for your organisation

We support you to be confident in your leadership with clear and pragmatic advice on how to move forward. As a team of experienced HR consultants, we offer a personalised service where we actually do the work for you, rather than leaving you to struggle through templates alone. By choosing us as your outsourced HR partner, we will visit you in person and develop relationships with key stakeholders so that we have a thorough understanding of your organisation. Our approach is flexible — we do not lock you into lengthy three or five-year contracts like larger HR outsourcing service providers. We are known for being professional yet approachable, always acting with integrity and having our clients' best interests at heart.

We provide HR consultancy services across the UK and internationally. Although we are based in Stockport, Greater Manchester, we support organisations from a range of sectors across commercial, non-profit and churches. We specifically launched our HR Foundations package to support micro-entities with less than 10 employees. As our way of giving back, we provide a 20% discount to charities and churches.

We understand that customers use our services in different ways, so we offer flexible options rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Packages include:

  1. HR Foundations Package

    For: Micro-entities (businesses, charities, or churches with fewer than 10 employees)

    It provides great value access to foundational HR support, including essential documents, policies, contracts, handbooks, and the Breathe HR system.

    Cost: £119 + VAT per month

    Contract: 12-month contract

  2. Retained HR Packages

    For: General

    These are our “all in” packages that allow you to access our specialist HR support for one fixed monthly price. We will guide you through each stage, allowing you to make informed decisions.

    Minimum: Packages start from 3 hours a month

  3. Bespoke/Project Support

    For: Project-based needs

    If you prefer not to commit to an ongoing package, we are happy to provide one-off project support for specific needs, interim HR support, significant projects, or change management. We can assist whether you have a one-month or a six-month requirement.

Because you are buying our time, you choose what we do for you. Our outsourced HR packages are all-inclusive. They cover a range of small business needs.

Included services:

  • Putting together employee handbooks
  • Supporting recruitment activity
  • Managing disciplinaries
  • General HR administration and specialist HR advice
  • Support for Employee Relations, recruitment help, and HR system assistance

Our core philosophy is that we want you to stay because you want to, not because you have to.

Commitment terms:

  • HR Foundations: This offering is available on a 12-month contract, paid via Direct Debit to spread the cost.
  • Retained HR Packages: These are available on a rolling basis with only a 3-month notice period.

No, there are no hidden extras. Our goal is to be transparent with our pricing. What you see in our outsourced HR contracts is exactly what you get. Additional costs are only passed on when they are agreed upon in advance and incurred while completing the agreed-upon work.

We offer maximum flexibility to ensure the service works for you.

Policy points:

  • If you do not use all your HR support time in one month, you are allowed to roll the unused time over to the following month.
  • If you exceed your monthly hours, you can borrow them from future months.
  • Alternatively, we can quote specifically for one-off interventions that go beyond your package time.

Our initial engagement involves completing an HR health check to measure your current compliance against legal requirements. We then provide a report of recommendations outlining what you need to become totally compliant. We advise based on what is practical and pragmatic based on our experience.

Yes, we can provide face-to-face support. If you are based within 10 miles of our office in Stockport, Manchester, this support is provided at no extra cost. Travel outside of that radius is chargeable based on mileage or train costs (whichever is cheaper), with all other expenses agreed in advance.

Let's talk about your HR requirements

Contact us

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Need pragmatic HR support?

Contact us today

Whether you need day-to-day admin support, HR consultancy for complex cases, or management training, we offer a range of expert services to meet your needs.