How Much Does a Virtual Assistant Cost in the UK? (2026 Guide)

If you’ve ever thought “I need help, but I don’t know what it should cost” — you’re asking the right question at the right time.

The honest answer is that virtual assistant pricing in the UK varies a lot, and most websites keep it vague on purpose. This guide won’t. Below is a straight breakdown of what a VA actually costs in 2026, why the price ranges are so wide, and how to work out whether it’s worth it for your business.

The short answer

In the UK in 2026, you’ll typically see three pricing models:

• Hourly rate: roughly £15–£35 per hour for a general VA, rising to £50+ for specialists.

• Monthly retainer: around £500/month for part-time (about 20 hours) and £900/month for something closer to full-time cover.

• Marketplace freelancers: as low as £8–£20 per hour — but with important trade-offs we’ll cover below.

At Remote Bob, our rates start at £18/hour, depending on the number of hours and the level of experience you need. No long contracts, no hidden onboarding fees.

Why the price range is so wide

Three things move the price more than anything else.

1. Where the VA is based. Offshore VAs can start at £3–£6 per hour. UK-hours, UK-facing VAs cost more because they work in your timezone, understand your market, and communicate in a way your clients expect. Cheaper isn’t cheaper if you spend your evenings fixing the work.

2. Freelancer vs agency. A solo freelancer often looks cheaper on paper. But when they’re sick, on holiday, or take on a bigger client, your support disappears. An agency handles vetting, training, cover, and replacement — so you’re never left stranded. (We wrote about exactly this risk in What Happens to Your Business When Your VA Calls in Sick?)

3. The skill level you need. Inbox and diary management sits at the lower end. Social media, customer support, bookkeeping-adjacent admin, and property compliance sit higher because they need more training and judgement.

What you’re really comparing it to

The number that matters isn’t the hourly rate — it’s the cost of not delegating.

A full-time in-house administrator in the UK can cost £30,000+ per year once you add National Insurance, pension, holiday, sick pay, equipment and management time. A part-time VA at roughly £500–£900 per month gives you skilled support without any of that overhead.

Then there’s your own time. Research from Harvard Business Review found executives waste around 41% of their time on low-value work someone else could do. Most business owners who delegate properly win back 10–15 hours a week. If your time is worth more than a VA’s hourly rate — and for most founders it is — the maths tends to answer itself.

Is a virtual assistant worth it?

A simple test: if you’re consistently losing 5–10 hours a week to tasks that don’t need your judgement — email, scheduling, data entry, chasing invoices, posting on social — a VA usually pays for itself almost immediately.

You don’t have to delegate everything on day one. Most clients start with a few hours a week on the tasks that drain them most, then scale up as they see time come back.

What affects your final quote

When we put together a quote, we look at:

• How many hours a week you realistically need

• The mix of tasks (admin, social media, customer support, property)

• The experience level required

• Whether the work is steady or seasonal

There’s no one-size-fits-all number — but there is a clear, honest one for your situation.

Get your exact price

The fastest way to know what a VA would cost you is a quick, no-pressure conversation. On a free consultation call we’ll learn about your business, map out what you’d delegate first, and send you a clear summary with pricing — no obligation.

👉 Book your free consultation call and get a straight answer on cost, tailored to your business.

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