If you are a business owner or a busy executive in the UK, you already know how much time admin work can steal from your day. Emails, scheduling, follow-ups, and documentation quietly pile up until you start asking yourself a simple question: how much does a virtual assistant cost?
The truth is that there is no single price. It depends on where the VA is based, how experienced they are, the skills they bring to the table, and whether you work with them on an hourly or a dedicated monthly basis.
This guide breaks everything down clearly so you can choose the best option for your needs.
Quick Overview of Virtual Assistant Costs
Before we dive deeper, here is an easy snapshot of what UK businesses typically pay:
- UK virtual assistant agencies: usually £30 to £40 per hour.
- Freelance UK VAs: around £25 to £35 per hour.
- In house assistants: about £27,000 to £29,000 per year, often £2,800 to £3,200 per month after employer costs.
- Philippines based VAs: usually £4 to £8 per hour.
Our pricing at Teambuild Consultancy:
- Part-time: around £500 per month.
- Full-time: around £900 per month.
- This comes to about £5 to £6 per hour for a dedicated VA.
This alone tells you why so many UK companies are hiring offshore support. You can get daily help at a fraction of the price you would pay locally.
Understanding Virtual Assistant Cost vs Dedicated Virtual Assistant Salary
Many people misunderstand these terms, so here is a very simple explanation.
Virtual assistant cost refers to the price you pay for a VA. It might be hourly or monthly, depending on the model.
Dedicated virtual assistant salary refers to paying one VA a fixed monthly amount to work only for you. This usually offers better value because you get consistency, long-term support, and someone who understands your business deeply.
Many UK business owners switch to dedicated monthly support once their workload reaches about 2 hours per day. Anything more than that makes hourly support unnecessarily expensive.
What UK-based Virtual Assistants Charge
Let us look at the most common UK options.
UK Virtual Assistant Agencies
This is the most expensive route, but it offers structure and reliability. Most UK agencies charge between £30 and £40 per hour for general admin. Some specialist services climb above £50 per hour.
You are paying for things like management, training, UK-level wages, and on-demand capacity. Many agencies also add extra fees or require minimum hours.
This option works well when you only need a few hours of work each month. If your admin load is steady, the costs rise quickly and can easily reach £2,400 to £3,200 per month for high usage.
Freelance UK Virtual Assistants
Many freelancers charge between £25 and £35 per hour. They offer flexibility, but the downside is availability and consistency. Most freelancers juggle several clients at a time so that long-term daily work can be difficult.
This option is ideal for very small workloads or occasional tasks.
Hiring In-House Staff
A full-time in-house assistant gives you control but comes with the highest overall cost.
- Salary: around £27,000 to £29,000 per year.
- Employer contributions.
- Holidays and sick pay.
- Pension requirements.
- Office and equipment costs.
By the time everything is added, the real cost often falls between £2,800 and £3,200 per month.
If the role requires physical presence, this can make sense. If the work is digital, a virtual assistant is almost always the better option.
The Cost of Virtual Assistants from the Philippines
Here is where UK business owners see the biggest savings. The Philippines has a strong outsourcing industry and one of the largest English-speaking workforces in Asia. According to data from several outsourcing studies, more than 1.4 million Filipinos currently work in the BPO sector, and over 400,000 of them support English-speaking companies.
Because the cost of living is lower, the pay expectations are significantly more affordable. Yet the skill level remains high, especially in admin, property, finance, technical support and executive assistance.
Most well-screened Filipino VAs cost between £4 and £8 per hour. This combination of affordability and talent is the main reason UK companies are shifting to offshore support.
Dedicated Virtual Assistant Salary vs Hourly Plans
If you need a VA for more than 2 hours a day, monthly dedicated support can save you money. To make this easy, here is an example based on 80 hours of work per month.
| VA Type | Monthly Cost | Hourly Rate | Value |
| UK Agency | ~£2,400 | £30/hr | Expensive for daily tasks |
| UK Specialist Agency | ~£3,200 | £40/hr+ | High for long-term needs |
| In-house staff | £2,800–£3,200 | £14–£16/hr (salary only) | Highest total cost |
| Our part-time VA | ~£500 | ~£5.80/hr | Ideal for 4 hours/day |
| Our full-time VA | ~£900 | ~£5.20/hr | Best for 8 hours/day |
A UK agency might charge the same amount for 10 hours that we charge for a part-time assistant working 20 days per month.
This is why many business owners switch to our dedicated VA model once they see the numbers.
What Affects Virtual Assistant Cost
Several factors influence VA pricing.
- Skill level.
- Industry knowledge.
- Experience.
- Working hours.
- Country of residence.
- Service model.
Hourly packages cost more per hour but offer flexibility. Dedicated monthly support offers predictable costs and better long-term value.
Industry Data that Shows Why Outsourcing Works
Recent UK business surveys show the following trends:
- Around 48% of UK companies now outsource work to reduce costs and increase efficiency.
- Businesses save between 25% and 70% by outsourcing compared to hiring locally.
- Leaders report gaining 10 or more hours per week by delegating to a virtual assistant.
- Companies using virtual admin support achieve faster turnaround times, often improving workflow speed by up to 75%.
These numbers support what many business owners already feel. Admin slows growth. Once you remove it, performance improves quickly.
How to Choose the Right VA Model
To find the best fit, consider the following:
- If you need help only occasionally, UK freelancers or agencies are fine
- If you need daily support, a dedicated monthly VA is the best choice
- If the admin is hurting your productivity, choose part-time or full-time support
- If you want long-term consistency, hire a dedicated VA rather than paying by the hour
Most business owners find that once they need 2 or more hours a day, the dedicated model saves money and gives better results.
Our Pricing at Teambuild Consultancy
Our pricing is slightly different, but it is ideal for people who want daily support without the high cost of UK agencies or in-house hires. In our company, Teambuild Consultancy, we connect UK businesses with skilled Filipino talent while keeping the pricing simple and predictable.
Here is how it works:
- Part-time (4 hours a day): around £500 per month
- Full-time (8 hours a day): around £900 per month
This gives you an effective hourly rate of about £5-£6 for a dedicated assistant who works only for your business.
We support clients in property, admin, accounting, engineering, tech, executive assistance, personal support and medical admin. Our goal is to help you grow by removing repetitive tasks from your plate so you can focus on the work that truly matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a virtual assistant cost in the UK?
What is a typical dedicated virtual assistant salary?
Can offshore VAs really be this affordable?
Final Thoughts
A virtual assistant is one of the simplest ways to save time, reduce stress and increase business productivity. Whether you choose hourly support or a dedicated assistant, the right VA can remove the tasks that slow you down and give you back hours each week.
Suppose you want long-term, consistent support at a fair and predictable price. In that case, our dedicated monthly model is one of the most cost-effective options for UK businesses. It gives you the freedom to focus on growth while your VA handles the work behind the scenes.
