Pricing guide
Virtual Assistant Rates UK: Pricing & Packages
Calculate a sustainable UK virtual assistant hourly rate and compare hourly, retainer, project, and specialist service pricing.
Start with a floor rate
A virtual assistant should first calculate the minimum hourly rate needed to cover income goals, expenses, taxes, time off, and non-billable work. The floor rate is not always the quote; it is the line below which the work becomes unhealthy.
Costs to include
- admin software
- training time
- client onboarding
- non-billable communication
Package ideas
- 10-hour support block
- monthly operations retainer
- inbox cleanup project
How to calculate a UK virtual assistant hourly rate
Use (desired pay + annual business costs + tax, pension, and profit buffer) ÷ realistic billable hours. Do not divide by every working hour: sales, onboarding, training, administration, holidays, and sick time are not all billable.
Worked hourly-rate example
A virtual assistant targeting £36,000 of annual pay, £6,000 of business costs, and a £12,000 tax, pension, and profit buffer needs £54,000 of annual billable revenue. At 1,200 billable hours, the floor is £45 per hour. This is a planning example, not a claimed UK market average.
| Pricing model | Define before quoting | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| Hourly | Rate, minimum booking, time tracking, and overage | Changing weekly workload |
| Hour block | Included hours, expiry or rollover, and extra-hour rate | Predictable admin support |
| Monthly retainer | Hours or outcomes, response time, meetings, and notice period | Ongoing operations support |
| Fixed project | Deliverables, access required, revisions, deadline, and exclusions | Inbox cleanup, CRM setup, or launch support |
When the rate should change
General administration, diary management, bookkeeping support, CRM automation, launch coordination, and executive assistance carry different responsibility and risk. Price specialist software, sensitive account access, urgent response times, client-facing work, and out-of-hours coverage explicitly instead of hiding them inside a generic rate.
Pricing checklist
- Define the deliverable, revision limit, and response time.
- Charge more for rush work, unclear scope, or high coordination load.
- Use a deposit or milestone billing when delivery risk is high.
- Review the margin before accepting fixed-price work.
After calculating your floor rate, use the profit margin calculator to test whether a project quote still works after direct costs and payment fees.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a virtual assistant charge per hour in the UK?
There is no single correct UK virtual assistant rate. Add desired annual pay, business costs, and a tax, pension, and profit buffer, then divide by realistic billable hours. The worked example on this page produces a £45 hourly floor, but it is an illustration rather than a market average.
Should a virtual assistant charge hourly or use packages?
Hourly pricing suits changing workloads. A fixed project price suits a defined outcome, while a monthly retainer suits recurring work with clear hours, response times, and rollover rules. The best model depends on how predictable the scope is.
What should a virtual assistant pricing package include?
State the included hours or deliverables, specialist tasks, response time, meeting allowance, software costs, unused-hour policy, overage rate, and notice period. This makes packages easier to compare and reduces scope disputes.