Which is best  Obvs I know you earn more on your own but is it more reassuring using an agency? Thanks

Sorry & lastly I forgot to ask is there any national agencies that are recommended on here for not ripping people off?

What would be reassuring about using an agency?

A search here will show why you still have to sort out your own security etc. So what you are handing over money for is advertising (and we'll be surprised if you cannot market yourself better than someone else can), answering calls (and typically sending you there regardless of any alarm signals that you'd pick up), and - sometimes - providing an incall place (for a price).

The only 'national' agencies I know of are scams: you can't run an agency properly without some local knowledge.

The reason there is a general consensous against agencies is that it is of their own making.  For me the single most important thing is safety and security.  Agencies, whatever they may claim do not make safety/security a priority, their priority is making money, end of.  It gives me the shivers to think of leaving my safety in the hands of people who don't give two hoots about screening clients and are really often are just glorified appointment makers.

For me I am perfectly happy to deal with TWs and idiots because that way I choose my own clients and ensure my safety/security as far as is humanely possible

As long as security procedures are the same as for being indie, and only working until a certain time, then surely agency guys are not really any more dangerous than indie guys.. Xx

I don't think it's always so much about them being more or less dangerous, but just the fact that any escort is going to hear from some clients who they'd prefer, for one reason or another, not to see. Maybe he sets off her spidey-senses, or maybe he's her dad's best mate, or maybe he's a bit of a stalky pest. None of these things are directly dangerous per se, but they are all things that, if you have an agency arrange your bookings for you, you're not going to be able to pay attention to til it's far too late and you're in that room with that client.

The number of inquiries I get that I turn away for one reason or another is quite significant, whether because they are showing no respect towards me as a human being, or they seem a bit bonkers/odd. I also use my own confirmation system to avoid timewasters etc. This means I'm very much in control of who I see and I cannot imagine relinquishing that control to some random pimp in the future. I've worked for decent people in the past but there's also the issue of feeling obliged to see clients - not pressured or anything, but definitely obliged - when I'd rather just rest or whatever.

Also, the false sense of security that an agency may provide is something to be very careful about. Feeling safer than you actually are is probably the most dangerous thing as you might go into a situation thinking that you'll be okay, when you actually might not be okay at all.

If someone is experienced with sex work and has their own security sorted, despite how clearly anti-agency I am in general, I would absolutely not think twice about them joining an agency (or ten!) if they want to. Why shouldn't they? The issue is only that agencies can give newbies false information, or a false sense of security, and also the fact that knowing that someone expects to receive a commission from you for your bookings can add a sense of pressure to stay even if you don't want to.

Whether a dangerous client is more or less likely to use an agency... well. I know there are clients out there for whom it is beneficial to use an agency because they know that agency will send them SOMEONE, and that someone is more likely to be new/naive/easy to push around/desperate for the money if he's known to be a less-than-great client because all the other girls will have already said no. So for some clients, agencies are just handy receptacles full of easy targets. An agency will often not say no to a client unless he's been declared very dangerous by more than one escort. (Some agencies are better than this, but they will be making less money as a result, and therefore may not be able to get much work for each of the girls on their books. Whereas, as an indie, putting my rules in place doesn't stop me from still earning my target income because I'm able to promote myself more effectively to make up for it.)

I would say it depends if you know the business and how to market yourself and be safe.

I was a total newbie, and found a great, small and female owned agency.  Yes, she takes a cut, but she also takes care of me and shows me the ropes. 

Maybe you want to think about exploring dif agencies til one feels like a good fit.