What does a virtual assistant cost in the UK? Three ways to compare
If admin is eating your evenings, there are three ways to hand it over: employ an assistant, use a freelance virtual assistant, or set up an assistant like Grok Bot for the rule-based jobs. Each one costs money in a different way. Here's what to count for each, using official figures where there are any.
Option 1: employ an assistant
If you take someone on as an employee, the law sets a floor on pay and adds duties on top.
- Minimum pay. From April 2026, GOV.UK lists the National Living Wage at £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, and the National Minimum Wage at £10.85 an hour for those aged 18 to 20. The rates change on 1 April every year. GOV.UK already lists the rates from April 2027: £13.21 an hour for 21 and over, and £11.27 for 18 to 20.
- Workplace pension. You must enrol staff aged between 22 and State Pension age who earn at least £10,000 a year, and pay an employer's contribution.
- The rest of the set-up. GOV.UK's step-by-step guide for first-time employers also covers National Insurance, sick pay, maternity and paternity pay, registering as an employer and setting up PAYE, and Employers' Liability insurance.
Then there's the time: an advert, interviews and training before the work starts, and a notice period if it doesn't work out.
Option 2: a freelance virtual assistant
A freelance VA runs their own business and bills you for hours or a monthly package. Rates vary a lot with experience and the type of work, so get quotes from a few. GOV.UK points out that the rules are different for freelancers and contractors, so check the working arrangement really is freelance.
Before you agree, ask:
- Is it hourly or a monthly package, and is there a minimum?
- How much notice does either side need to give?
- What access to your accounts will they need, and how will they handle your customers' personal data?
- Who covers when they're away?
Option 3: set up an assistant for the rule-based jobs
A lot of office admin follows the same rules every time. That's work an assistant like Grok Bot can do once it's set up. The jobs we take on include:
- sorting the shared inbox, labelling and filing new mail
- preparing replies for your OK, so nothing sends until you approve
- invoice reminders, prepared for your OK
- chasers for missing documents, drafted for your OK
- logging new enquiries into your sheet or CRM, where it connects
- a morning summary of what needs you today, and a weekly round-up
Our guides show how to do some of these by hand first: inbox triage and chasing unpaid invoices. Whatever you use, set it up so replies and payments wait for your approval.
Side by side
| Employ an assistant | Freelance VA | Grok Bot setup by Your Evenings | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What you pay | At least £12.71 an hour (21 and over, from April 2026), plus pension and other employer costs | Their quoted rate | £750 a month, plus your own Grok Bot plan |
| Getting started | Advert, interviews, training | Quotes, then agree terms | Subscribe, then email us the job |
| Best for | Judgement calls, phone and face-to-face work | Judgement calls and phone work, part-time | Rule-based office admin |
| Stopping | Notice period | Their notice terms | Cancel any time by email |
Where a person is still the better choice
If most of your admin is phone calls, judgement calls or face-to-face work, a person is the better fit, employed or freelance. An assistant suits the repeatable jobs: sorting, preparing replies, reminders and summaries.
How to decide
- List your admin for one week. Note each job and how long it took.
- Mark each one. Rule-based (same steps every time) or judgement (needs a person to weigh it up).
- Price each pile. Judgement work against a person's cost, rule-based work against an assistant's.
Questions
How much does it cost to employ an assistant in the UK?
At least the minimum wage: from April 2026 that's £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over. You also pay an employer's pension contribution for staff aged 22 to State Pension age earning at least £10,000 a year, plus National Insurance and other employer costs.
How much does a freelance virtual assistant cost?
Rates vary with experience and the type of work, so ask a few for quotes. Check whether the price is hourly or a monthly package, and whether there's a minimum.
Will an assistant send emails without asking me?
Not if it's set up to wait. We set it up to ask for your approval before it sends or pays.
Want it set up for you?
Grok Bot setup by Your Evenings is our done-for-you service. Tell us the job by email. We set it up on Grok Bot, test it with dry runs and check it each month. We set it up to ask for your approval before it sends or pays. It's £750 a month and renews monthly until you cancel. There's no minimum term, and you can cancel any time by email. You need your own Grok Bot plan, in your own account; the £750 doesn't cover your Grok Bot plan. Read the terms before you subscribe. Get my admin handled
Your Evenings is an independent service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grok Bot or its maker, SpaceX Super Intelligence LLC (SpaceXSI).
Sources
- GOV.UK: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates (read 31 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Workplace pensions, what employers must do (read 31 October 2026)
- GOV.UK: Get ready to employ someone for the first time: step by step (read 31 October 2026)
- Your Evenings Ltd, Grok Bot setup service page and terms (read 31 October 2026), for what our service does and costs.
Written with AI assistance by the Your Evenings team at Your Evenings Ltd. Last updated 31 October 2026.