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Software Tester Contract Rates in Leeds: Day Rate Quartiles and Demand
Live market telemetry, compensation quartiles, and IR35 compliance benchmarks across the UK contract sector.
Median Daily Rate
£325/day
Interquartile Range
£291/day – £361/day
Contract Engagement Split
22% Outside IR35
Market Conditions and Compensation Trajectory
Project procurement across Leeds corporate accounts continues to generate active requirements for external Software Tester contractors to accelerate strategic software deliverables. Driven by enterprise delivery demands within the municipality, typical day rates for Software Tester contractors converge upon a median of £325/day, registering a +64.1% variance against national benchmarks. Quartiles run from £291/day to £361/day on 14 roles to November 2026. 22% of active roles maintain verified outside-IR35 status. Hiring for Software Tester contractors in Leeds registers as high in the benchmark dataset.
Daily Rate Quartiles and Market Benchmarks
Day rates and IR35 shares come from the Quality Contracts market benchmark dataset of UK contract postings; sector labels come from vacancies matching this hub. Quartiles use priced roles only.
| Metric | Value | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Median day rate | £325/day | Mid-market advertised pay for this hub |
| 25th percentile (P25) | £291/day | Lower-quartile priced vacancies |
| 75th percentile (P75) | £361/day | Upper-quartile priced vacancies |
| Hiring demand | High | Demand level in the benchmark dataset (Moderate, High or Very High) |
| Outside IR35 share | 22% | Stated limited-company / outside SDS |
| Inside IR35 share | 9% | Stated PAYE / umbrella / inside SDS |
| Undetermined IR35 | 69% | Adverts that omit a published status |
| Leading sector | IT (100%) | Largest hiring cluster in the sample |
| Priced sample | 14 roles | Postings with a stated day rate in the benchmark dataset |
| Regional rate band | major-city rate parity | Location pricing context, not an SDS |
Statutory Standards and Frequently Asked Questions
Leeds does not create a special IR35 code for Software Tester work. The client SDS should name the Leeds workplace and delivery model. An inside finding on a Leeds Software Tester brief typically deducts tax at source, while outside IR35 Software Tester work in Leeds is billed by a PSC. Local pay sits on major-city rate parity, so a higher Leeds headline rate can still be inside. Commuting into Leeds does not, by itself, prove substitution or lack of control. Read the Software Tester Leeds contract for workplace, hours, and equipment clauses.
