How much does it cost to hire a Personal Assistant?

What is a personal assistant?

A personal assistant provides administrative help to senior management or company directors, giving them the gift of time to focus on higher-level strategic tasks and responsibilities. While there was a time when having a PA might have been seen as something of a luxury, these days, they've become an invaluable investment for busy professionals, executives and entrepreneurs who want to work smarter.

If you’re considering hiring a PA, you may be thinking about what that will cost you. While the average cost of a PA in the UK is anywhere between £25,000 and £40,000 a year, hiring offshore is considerably more cost effective (£8,000 and £20,000). But what exactly does a personal assistant do in today's world? And how can you tell if you've reached the point where you genuinely need one.

Why should you hire one?

One of the most compelling reasons to hire a personal assistant is to achieve that work-life balance we all chase. Executives we've worked with have found that having a PA becomes essential not just for business efficiency but also for reducing stress and dramatically improving their overall well-being.  

By handing off monotonous tasks and time-consuming admin chores that eat up your day, you can reclaim precious hours. The time you could spend on hobbies that refresh you, quality moments with loved ones, or simply unwinding properly after a long day. It's not just about productivity; it's about living better.

Now, let's talk numbers. If you're considering hiring a personal assistant, one of your first questions is probably: How much is this going to cost me?  

How much does a full-time personal assistant cost?

A PA's salary in the UK can vary quite a bit depending on their experience, where they're based, and whether you're hiring them full-time or on an hourly basis.

According to the latest figures from Check-a-Salary (2024), the average PA pulls in around £28,000 per year. But that's just the middle ground. If you're looking at someone just starting out, you might be paying closer to £21,000, while a seasoned PA working in London could easily command £35,000 or more.  

Plenty of PAs work on an hourly basis, which can be great if you need flexibility or part-time support. You're typically looking at £10 to £18 per hour, though this can shift depending on skills and location.  

But if you're bringing someone on full-time, the salary is only part of the picture.  

All the extras

As an employer, you'll also need to factor in:  

National Insurance (NI):  That's an extra 13.8% on earnings above £242 per week (2024/25 rates).

Pension contributions: By law, you'll need to chip in at least 3% of their qualifying earnings.  

Paid leave: Every full-time employee is entitled to at least 28 days off per year (bank holidays included).  

Breaking down the monthly cost

So, what does this look like in practice? Let's say you hire a PA at that average £28,000 salary (£2,333 per month). Here's how the numbers stack up:

Hiring a PA isn’t just about their take-home pay. When you bring someone on as a full-time employee, you’re looking at an additional £4,000+ per year in employer costs. That means a £28,000 salary works out to around £32,000 once you’ve covered everything.

Hiring offshore personal assistants

And now let's talk about hiring offshore say from India. For a skilled, experienced personal assistant in India, you're typically looking at and hourly rate of ₹500-₹1,500 (£5-£15) or a Monthly salary of ₹20,000-₹40,000 (£200-£400). Source (Glassdoor India).  

If you’re still paying UK rates for personal assistant services, you’re burning £20,000+ every year.

Why should you hire offshore?

Here’s the truth about offshoring and why it’s the most intelligent financial decision you’re not making.

Affordability without compromising on tasks or quality.  

The same skills, the same output but way less of a financial stress. A ₹50K/month (£500) PA will handle your inbox, calendar, and even social media like a pro. India churns out 1.5 million English-speaking grads yearly. These aren’t just "typing assistants" they’re tech-savvy, business-literate, and often overqualified for the role.

And no awkward translations. These PAs are educated in English, consume Western media daily, and understand UK business culture inside out.

Black Piano has hired virtual assistants for many business executives around the UK.  

Sarah’s success story

Take the case of Sarah, a London-based consultant. Her previous PA cost £32,000 annually and was unavailable outside her contracted 9-5 hours. Her offshore replacement, Priya, not only costs £7,200 per year but routinely handles urgent requests at all hours.  

"It's like having a clone of myself working while I sleep," Sarah reports. "Last week, I woke up to find she'd completely reorganised my filing system and prepped my quarterly reports, all without being asked."

Like Sarah, we have helped many businesses around the world optimise their admin and boost productivity. We have access to the largest talent pool in the world and have built successful remote teams. We pride ourselves on being more than a typical EOR.  

We are more than just an EOR

Unlike almost all other EOR services, we don’t just provide a platform to pay your staff and then step back. From recruiting and interviewing top talent to handling contracts, payroll, and onboarding we’ve got you covered.  

And we don’t stop there. As your dedicated remote offshore HR partner, we ensure your team stays engaged, motivated, and committed for the long haul. Learn more about what we do: Employer of Record

When you hire a PA in the UK, you’re often faced with high salary expectations, additional payroll and compliance responsibilities, and the need to either build your own HR systems or pay extra for support.

In contrast, with Black Piano, your remote Indian PA comes with all these essentials fully managed for you. You get access to professional, reliable support at a fraction of the cost, without hidden fees or administrative headaches.

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Do you require a PA?

The question isn't whether you need a PA; it's whether you can afford not to have one.  

The changing role of a PA

When most people imagine a PA, this outdated image immediately springs to mind; you know, the one I mean. It's that 1950s and 60s stereotype of a woman (and yes, thankfully, we've moved on from that narrow view) sitting at a typewriter in the corner of some executive's office.  

But those days are so far gone they might as well be ancient history. Today's PAs operate as integral parts of the businesses they serve. A strong, comprehensive understanding of business operations is fundamental to an effective PA.  

As technology keeps evolving, the traditional responsibilities and required skills of PAs have evolved right along with it. The contemporary PA isn't just taking dictation and fetching coffee, they're confident decision-makers who often oversee other support staff and entire teams.  

On a day-to-day basis, PAs handle everything from maintaining and screening overflowing email inboxes to juggling multiple complex calendars. They're the ones making sure conferences and corporate events happen and they're experts at organising travel arrangements for entire teams. Many PAs also take charge of managing petty cash and keeping a close eye on their team's expenses and budget allocations.  

Many are deeply involved in Human Resources (HR) matters and facilities management. They're savvy with social media platforms and various marketing channels. It's not unusual for today's PA to work closely with multiple directors or managers simultaneously while also coordinating with their respective teams.

The world today and offshore assistants

The business world has quietly undergone a shift. The pandemic brought about a new era of remote working. While many were distracted by office reopening and hybrid work debates, innovative companies discovered a disruptive advantage: offshore virtual assistants. The future of business support is offshore, and it works while you sleep.  

Businesses that once limited their hiring to a 30-mile radius now tapping into global talent pools, discovering that the best candidate for a role might be 5,000 miles away.  

Key benefits of hiring an offshore PA

1. 24-hour business operations

This shift has been particularly transformative for administrative support, where time zone differences become an asset rather than an obstacle. Indian PAs wrap up tasks as western businesses close for the day, creating a seamless 24-hour workflow that turns time differences into a competitive edge.

A finance director we work with saw his productivity metrics soar after partnering with an offshore PA who handles his scheduling, travel, and presentation prep during UK nighttime hours.

2. Cost advantages

The productivity benefits of working with Indian PAs go far beyond. These professionals combine Western business acumen with technical prowess that would cost multiples more locally.  

3. Reduced technology and training costs

Indian PAs handle everything from complex calendar management to investor relations with a level of precision that often surpasses their Western counterparts. Their tech-savviness is innate. A local hire might need training on your CRM; Indian PAs typically arrive already proficient in multiple productivity platforms.

4. Increased efficiency

Hiring virtual talent isn't just about saving money - it's about gaining a strategic advantage. Businesses using offshore PAs operate with an efficiency that others can't match. For small businesses, outsourcing to a PA can scale productivity without full-time hires. (Entrepreneur)

Conclusion

As more companies discover these benefits, hiring offshore virtual assistants is transitioning to a strategic advantage. The question isn't whether your business should consider a PA, it's how much longer you can afford not to, especially when all your competitors are.

If you hire through Black Piano, recruitment and training aren't up to you. One of the biggest benefits of hiring a virtual assistant through us is that finding the right talent, hiring and legal compliance, and management isn’t your responsibility. With a clear management fee, we aim to free up your time to focus on core business tasks instead of tedious admin. Personal assistants cost far less when there are fewer ongoing expenses like these.

However, you need to make sure that you work with a service provider who provides the support PAs need. We pride ourselves in how "human" we are. So, you will never speak to a bot, and we are always just a phone call away.

Let's chat, and we can see how hiring an offshore PA could help transform your day and boost productivity.