How much should a virtual assistant charge?
What UK virtual assistants charge in 2026 across hourly, retainer and package models, and how to move away from selling hours.
Quick answer
Most experienced UK virtual assistants charge £30–£35 an hour for general administrative support in 2026, with agencies at £30–£40 and specialists above £50. Monthly retainers commonly run £500–£900 for dedicated support, and smaller packages start around £150. Pricing on outcome rather than hours is what separates the top of the market from the bottom.
UK virtual assistant rates, 2026
| Model | Typical rate |
|---|---|
| General admin, hourly | £30–£35 |
| Agency, hourly | £30–£40 |
| Specialist / technical | £50+ |
| Small monthly package | from ~£150 |
| Dedicated monthly retainer | £500–£900 |
Step-by-step
- 1
Start at the market rate, not below it
£30–£35 an hour is what experienced UK VAs charge for general admin. New VAs frequently start at £18–£22 believing they must undercut, then find those clients are the hardest to raise prices on. Start close to market and compete on reliability rather than price.
- 2
Move to retainers as fast as you can
Hourly billing caps your income and makes every efficiency gain a pay cut. Monthly retainers of £500–£900 for dedicated support give you predictable income and give the client predictable cost. Smaller packages from around £150 are a good entry point for clients not ready to commit.
- 3
Charge for responsibility, not just tasks
Rates climb above £50 an hour where the work involves confidential information, operational responsibility, or specialist technical skill. Inbox management for a sole trader and managing a founder's calendar, contracts and payments are different jobs — price them differently.
- 4
Compete on being UK-based, deliberately
UK VAs cost more than overseas alternatives, and the reasons are worth stating plainly: time zone alignment, GDPR awareness, native communication, and familiarity with UK client expectations. Clients who need those will pay for them; clients who don't were never yours.
- 5
Publish packages, not an hourly rate
An hourly rate invites clients to count your hours. A page of packages — what's included, for whom, at what monthly price — moves the conversation to outcomes. It also filters out the hourly-minded clients who cost the most to serve.
Tips & best practices
- ▸Price on the value of the outcome, not the time it takes you — getting faster shouldn't cut your income.
- ▸Retainers beat hourly for both sides: predictable cost for them, predictable income for you.
- ▸Specialise (bookkeeping, inbox, launches, tech) to move above the general-admin band.
- ▸Review rates annually and apply increases to new clients first.
Common questions
How much do virtual assistants charge in the UK?
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Most experienced UK VAs charge £30–£35 an hour for general administrative support in 2026. Agencies typically charge £30–£40, and specialist or technical VAs charge £50 and above.
How much should a new virtual assistant charge?
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Closer to market than instinct suggests — around £25–£30 an hour rather than the £15–£20 many new VAs start at. Undercutting attracts clients who chose you on price, and those are the hardest to raise rates on later.
Should I charge hourly or a monthly retainer?
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Retainer, as soon as you can. Dedicated monthly support commonly runs £500–£900, and smaller packages start around £150. Hourly billing caps your income and penalises you for working efficiently.
Why do UK VAs cost more than overseas ones?
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Time zone alignment, native-level communication, GDPR awareness and familiarity with UK client expectations. Those are real differences worth stating explicitly on your site rather than hoping clients infer them.