How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost in the UK? (Honest Numbers)

No vague “it depends.” Here are real prices, what affects them, and what you actually get.

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The Short Answer

As of 2024, UK Virtual Assistants typically charge between £25 and £40 per hour, with the average sitting around £30-35 per hour.

But that range is wide enough to be unhelpful. So let’s break it down properly.

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What Affects the Price

Experience Level

Level	Typical Rate	What You Get
Entry-level (0-2 years)	£18-25/hr	Basic admin, data entry, scheduling. May need more guidance and oversight.
Mid-level (2-5 years)	£25-32/hr	Confident across core admin tasks. Self-directed. Can manage client communication.
Experienced (5+ years)	£30-40/hr	Proactive, strategic. Anticipates needs. Brings systems and processes. Manages complex workloads independently.
Specialist	£35-50+/hr	Niche expertise: bookkeeping, social media management, tech/automation, project management.

You get what you pay for. An £18/hour VA needs more of your time in management and quality checking. A £35/hour VA costs more per hour but delivers more per hour, and demands less of yours.

Specialism

General admin VAs sit in the £25-35 range. Specialist VAs command premium rates:

• Bookkeeping VA: £30-45/hr
• Social Media Management VA: £30-40/hr
• Tech/Automation VA: £35-50/hr
• Executive PA (remote): £35-50/hr
• Project Management VA: £35-45/hr

If your needs are purely general admin, you don’t need a specialist. But if you need someone who can manage your social media and your inbox and your bookkeeping, you’re looking for a multi-skilled VA at the higher end.

Hours Per Month

Most VAs offer package rates that reduce the effective hourly cost:

Monthly Hours	Typical Monthly Cost	Effective Hourly Rate
5 hours	£150-175	£30-35
10 hours	£275-325	£27.50-32.50
20 hours	£500-625	£25-31
40 hours (part-time)	£950-1,250	£24-31

Higher monthly commitments often come with a slight discount. But avoid committing to more hours than you need just for a lower rate; the surplus is wasted.

Location

UK VAs charge more than overseas VAs (we cover this in detail in our UK vs Overseas post). Within the UK, there’s surprisingly little geographic variation, since VAs work remotely, so London rates don’t apply the way they do for office-based roles.

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What’s Included in the Rate

A reputable UK VA’s hourly rate typically includes:

✓ Their own workspace and equipment : computer, desk, internet, phone ✓ Software subscriptions : their own productivity tools, communication apps ✓ Professional indemnity insurance : protection if something goes wrong ✓ ICO registration : GDPR compliance for handling data ✓ Ongoing training : keeping skills current ✓ Tax and National Insurance : they handle their own

What’s NOT included:

✗ Your business-specific software : if they need access to your CRM, project management tool, or specialist platform, that licence is on you ✗ Specialist tools you require : if you need them to use specific paid tools beyond standard office software

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How Billing Works

Most UK VAs use one of three models:

Hourly Billing (Pay as You Go)

You’re billed for the actual hours worked, tracked via time-tracking software. Good for variable workloads and testing the relationship.

Pros: Only pay for what you use. Full flexibility. Cons: Costs can vary month to month. No guaranteed availability.

Monthly Retainer (Agreed Hours)

You commit to a set number of hours per month (e.g., 10 hours/month for £300). Hours are reserved for you. Unused hours typically don’t roll over.

Pros: Guaranteed availability. Often slightly cheaper per hour. Predictable cost. Cons: Use it or lose it. Need to estimate hours accurately.

Task/Project-Based Pricing

A fixed price for a defined scope of work (“Set up my Google Drive filing system: £200” or “Process 3 months of bookkeeping: £450”).

Pros: Known cost upfront. No time-tracking friction. Cons: Scope needs to be clear. Changes cost extra.

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The ROI Calculation

Cost is only half the equation. What matters is: does the VA pay for themselves?

Scenario: The Solo Consultant

• Billing rate: £75/hour
• Hours lost to admin: 10/week
• VA cost: 10 hours/week × £30/hr = £300/week
• Revenue recovered: even if only 5 of those 10 freed hours become billable = 5 × £75 = £375/week
• Net gain: £75/week (£3,900/year)

The VA pays for themselves and generates a profit. And that doesn’t account for the follow-ups that don’t slip, the proposals that go out on time, and the opportunities that get pursued.

Scenario: The Tradesperson

• Day rate: £250
• Time lost to admin: 1 day/week
• VA cost: 8 hours/week × £28/hr = £224/week
• Revenue recovered: 1 extra day on the tools = £250
• Net gain: £26/week (£1,352/year) : plus less stress, better cash flow from chased invoices, and more professional client communication

Scenario: The E-commerce Owner

• Monthly revenue per hour spent on business development: £200
• Time lost to order admin, customer service, listing management: 15 hours/month
• VA cost: 15 hours × £30/hr = £450/month
• Revenue potential from freed time: even 5 hours redeployed to growth = £1,000/month
• Net gain: £550/month (£6,600/year)

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Red Flags on Price

Too Cheap (Under £20/hr for a UK VA)

Either they’re inexperienced, or they’re undervaluing themselves, both of which can create problems. An inexperienced VA at £18/hour who makes mistakes costs more than a seasoned VA at £32/hour who doesn’t.

No Clear Pricing Structure

If a VA can’t give you a clear answer on how they charge, how they track time, and what’s included; that’s a process issue that will show up in the work too.

Requiring Large Upfront Commitments

A VA who insists on a 6-month contract and 40 hours/month minimum before you’ve even worked together? Walk away. Good VAs offer trial periods and flexible terms because they know the work speaks for itself.

Charges for “Setup” Without Explanation

Some VAs charge a one-time setup fee to onboard your systems and processes. That’s reasonable if it’s transparent and proportional. An unexplained £500 “onboarding fee” is a red flag.

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Our Pricing at Empower VA Services

We believe in transparency. Our standard VA support starts at:

• 10 hours/month : ideal for testing the waters
• Rolling 30-day terms : no long-term lock-in
• Clear hourly tracking : you see exactly where your time goes
• No hidden fees : the rate is the rate

We’d rather show you the value in month one and earn your continued business than lock you into a contract and hope you don’t leave.

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Ready to Talk Numbers?

Book a free discovery call →

We’ll discuss your specific needs, give you a clear quote, and help you calculate the ROI for your business. No obligation, no surprises.

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Nicola Berry is the founder of Empower VA Services, based in Falkirk, Scotland. Transparent pricing for admin support that pays for itself.