For most business owners, admin work never stops at a few emails, because diaries, invoices, supplier calls, filing and client follow ups all add up and eat into the time that should go into running the business. It’s one reason so many owners work long weeks, and a survey of 500 UK small business owners by Tide and Censuswide found that almost a third work more than 48 hours per week.
Hiring an administrative assistant is usually the first step toward getting that time back, but the salary on the job advert is only part of what you’ll pay. Once employer National Insurance, pension contributions, paid leave, software and recruitment fees are added, the role can cost thousands of pounds more per year than most owners expect, so it’s worth planning your hiring budget around the full figure.
In this guide, we break down the base cost of hiring an administrative assistant in the UK by experience level, the additional costs that come with the role, the total cost of employment, the factors that push the price up or down, and more affordable ways to get the admin support your business needs.
What is the Base Cost of Hiring an Administrative Assistant in the UK (2026)?
The minimum wage in the UK is currently £12.71 per hour for anyone aged 21 and over, according to GOV.UK, following the increase that took effect on 1 April 2026, and every figure in this article reflects that rate.
When it comes to hiring an administrative assistant, base pay is mostly decided by how many years of experience the person brings and how much responsibility the role carries. The table below shows the base cost of hiring an administrative assistant with anywhere from no experience to more than five years.
| Experience level | Years of experience | Hourly | Monthly (approx.) | Yearly (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level | 0 – 3 years | £12.71 – £14.50 | £2,200 – £2,510 | £26,400 – £30,120 |
| Mid-level | 3 – 5 years | £14.50 – £16.50 | £2,510 – £2,860 | £30,120 – £34,320 |
| Senior-level | 5+ years | £16.50 – £19.00 | £2,860 – £3,290 | £34,320 – £39,520 |
For broader context, Indeed puts the average administrative assistant salary in the UK at £25,420 per year, while Jooble places it at £27,431, within a range of £24,029 to £32,439. Some of the salaries behind those averages were set before the latest minimum wage rise, and they don’t account for the pay increases that often follow further up the scale, which is why the figures in our table start a little higher.
What are the Additional Costs of Hiring an Administrative Assistant?
Aside from base pay, there are several other costs that come with hiring a full time administrative assistant.
- Employer National Insurance
Employers pay National Insurance contributions on top of each employee’s salary, currently at 15% on earnings above £5,000 per year. - Auto Enrolment Pension
Under the UK’s auto enrolment scheme, every eligible employee must be enrolled into a workplace pension, and as an employer you’re required to contribute at least 3% of their qualifying earnings. - Paid Leave and Public Holidays
Full time employees in the UK are entitled to 28 days of paid leave per year, including bank holidays. You continue paying your administrative assistant on those days, even though the inbox, diary and invoices still need someone to look after them. - Equipment and Software
An administrative assistant usually needs a laptop and access to the tools your business runs on, such as Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, scheduling and diary tools, your CRM, and invoicing or bookkeeping software. If you don’t already pay for extra user licences, each new seat adds an ongoing cost to the role. - Onboarding and Training
Even an experienced administrative assistant needs time to learn your processes, filing systems, clients and suppliers, along with how you like your inbox and diary run. Between your time and theirs, onboarding can add £500 to £2,000 or more to the overall cost, depending on how well documented your processes already are. Our guide to your first four weeks with an administrative assistant shows what that early period usually looks like. - Recruitment or Job Board Fees
Because recruiters and job boards give you access to a wider pool of candidates, many business owners choose to use them, and depending on the seniority of the role this can easily cost £1,000 to £3,000 before your new hire starts.
Here’s what these additional costs typically add up to for a full time administrative assistant.
| Additional Costs | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Employer National Insurance | £3,200 – £5,200 |
| Auto Enrolment Pension | £800 – £1,200 |
| Paid Holiday Cover (28 days) | £2,400 – £3,500 |
| Equipment and Software | £800 – £1,500 |
| Onboarding and Training | £500 – £2,000 |
| Recruitment or Job Board Fees | £1,000 – £3,000 |
| Total Additional Costs | £8,700 – £16,400 |
What is the Total Cost?
Having covered the base pay and the additional costs, the estimated total cost of hiring an administrative assistant in the UK in 2026 typically looks like this.
| Experience Level | Base Annual Salary | Total Additional Costs | Total Monthly Cost | Total Annual Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 – 3 years | £26,400 – £30,200 | £8,700 – £12,800 | £2,920 – £3,550 | £35,100 – £42,920 |
| 3 – 5 years | £30,120 – £34,320 | £9,600 – £14,400 | £3,310 – £4,060 | £39,720 – £48,720 |
| 5+ years | £34,320 – £39,520 | £11,400 – £16,400 | £3,810 – £4,660 | £45,720 – £55,920 |
These totals include every additional cost from the table above, and the ranges are wide because your final figure depends on the salary you agree, how you recruit, which tools the role needs and how much onboarding is involved.
Key Factors That Affect the Cost of Hiring an Administrative Assistant
The final cost of an administrative assistant depends on more than experience alone, and these are the factors that make the biggest difference.
- Experience level
Administrative assistants with more experience can take on diary management for senior staff, bookkeeping support, minute taking and supplier management, not just general office tasks, so they cost more. Once the role moves into supporting a director closely, it starts to overlap with an executive assistant, and our executive assistant cost guide covers what that level of support costs. - Industry
Sectors such as legal, finance and healthcare often pay more for administrative staff, because the work involves confidential information, compliance rules and specialist software that take longer to learn. - Location
Administrative assistants in cities like London typically earn more than those in smaller towns because of differences in the cost of living, while remote administrative assistants can cost a fraction of a local hire.
Affordable Ways to Hire Administrative Support in the UK
A growing number of UK businesses need admin support but don’t have the budget for a full time local hire. If that sounds like your business, there are several other ways to get the help you need, and our guide on how to set up a remote team on a budget covers more of them.
- Hire Part Time
If your admin workload doesn’t justify a full time role, you can hire part time and pay only for the hours you need, which keeps your costs in line with the work. - Hire Interns or Apprentices
If someone on your team has time to train and supervise them, an intern or apprentice can take on routine admin tasks. The first few months take patience, but it can pay off once they know how your business works. - Hire Freelancers
Freelancers offer flexible support for overflow work or one off admin projects without a long term commitment, though the person helping you may change from month to month, and our guide to remote staff vs freelancers explains how the two compare. - Hire Remote Staff
This is where many businesses are saving the most right now, because through Arwana you can hire a dedicated remote administrative assistant who works UK hours and handles your admin as part of your team, from £699/month with no recruitment fees and no long term contracts. You can see how this has worked for other UK businesses in our success stories.
Conclusion
Hiring an administrative assistant in the UK in 2026 can cost anywhere from around £35,100 per year for an entry level hire to £55,920 or more for an experienced assistant once every employer cost is included. Knowing the full figure before you post a job advert helps you plan your budget properly and choose the option that suits your business.
If you want dedicated admin support at a more accessible cost, Arwana helps UK businesses hire experienced remote administrative assistants from £699/month. Book a call to find out how a remote administrative assistant could fit into your business.
