True cost of employing someone calculator
Thinking of hiring an admin assistant or a salesperson? See the full cost to your practice, including employer National Insurance, workplace pension and the other costs that come with a new hire.
Free to use, no sign-up. Uses 2026/27 rates.
Admin assistant · £26,000 salary
What is the true cost of employing someone in the UK?
On top of salary, UK employers pay employer National Insurance at 15% on earnings above £5,000 a year, and at least 3% of qualifying earnings (between £6,240 and £50,270) into a workplace pension in 2026/27. Add equipment, software, training and recruitment, and an employee on £26,000 typically costs a practice around £31,700 a year, before recruitment costs.
Work out the full cost
Enter the salary and the costs that apply to your practice. National Insurance and pension are worked out for the 2026/27 tax year.
Full cost of this hire
£0a year, after the first year
This works out below the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over.
For comparison, strively's plans cost £1,320 to £2,640 a year, excluding VAT, and take on much of the onboarding admin a new hire would do.
See strively pricing →Worked example
An admin assistant on £26,000 a year, working 37.5 hours a week, with the minimum 3% employer pension on qualifying earnings and £2,000 a year for equipment, software and training. The Employment Allowance isn't used.
| Salary | £26,000.00 |
| Employer National Insurance: 15% of £21,000 (salary above £5,000) | £3,150.00 |
| Employer pension: 3% of £19,760 (salary between £6,240 and £50,270) | £592.80 |
| Equipment, software and training | £2,000.00 |
| Total cost a year | £31,742.80 |
| Monthly cost | £2,645.23 |
| First year, including £3,000 recruitment | £34,742.80 |
| Cost per hour actually worked, over 1,740 hours after 5.6 weeks' holiday | £18.24 |
The true cost is about 22% more than the salary, before recruitment. Each hour of admin that person spends on onboarding costs the practice around £18.
Hiring a sales person or admin assistant: what to look for
The right credentials depend on the role. Here's what helps in an accountancy practice, and why.
Sales or business development
Someone to turn enquiries into clients: running discovery calls, scoping work and sending proposals.
- An accounting qualification helps, but isn't essentialA salesperson who understands bookkeeping, VAT and year-end accounts can scope work accurately, price it properly and talk to business owners with credibility, so fewer proposals need reworking.
- AAT Level 3 or 4 suits most sales rolesThe AAT Level 3 Diploma in Accounting and Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting cover the core services most practices sell, without the cost of a fully chartered hire.
- Part-qualified ACCA, CIMA or ACA for advisory or larger clientsIf they'll sell management accounts, advisory work or services to bigger businesses, deeper technical knowledge helps them understand the client's finances and spot what they need.
- Without a qualification, look for B2B sales experienceExperience selling to small businesses, ideally in professional services, can work well with good training on your services, pricing and the questions clients usually ask.
- Must-haves for any sales hireA clear understanding of your service scope and pricing, the ability to explain engagement letters and AML checks to new clients, and knowing when to pass a technical question to a qualified accountant.
Admin assistant or practice administrator
Someone to keep onboarding moving: chasing information, setting up new clients and keeping records in order.
- A qualification is useful for some tasksNone is essential for a purely admin role, but the AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting helps if they'll also do bookkeeping or data entry.
- Practice software experienceKnowing your practice management and bookkeeping software means they're useful from day one, rather than after weeks of training.
- Onboarding and AML experienceExperience collecting client documents, checking ID for AML and chasing information speeds up onboarding and reduces compliance risk.
- Must-haves for any admin hireOrganised, good with deadlines and confident handling client data securely under UK GDPR.
Whichever role you hire for, much of the onboarding admin they'd pick up, such as screening enquiries, booking calls, chasing proposals and sending engagement letters, is work strively automates, leaving them free for the work that needs a person.
Before you hire for admin
Much of the admin a new hire would pick up in a growing practice is work strively automates.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to employ someone in the UK in 2026/27?
Salary, plus employer National Insurance at 15% on earnings above £5,000 a year, plus at least 3% of qualifying earnings into a workplace pension, plus costs such as equipment, software, training and recruitment. On a £26,000 salary that comes to around £31,700 a year, before recruitment.
What is the employer National Insurance rate for 2026/27?
15% on each employee's earnings above the secondary threshold of £5,000 a year. Eligible employers can reduce their bill with the Employment Allowance of up to £10,500 a year.
How much pension does an employer have to pay?
At least 3% of an employee's qualifying earnings, which are earnings between £6,240 and £50,270 a year in 2026/27. Some employers choose to pay more, or to pay on the full salary.
What is the National Living Wage in 2026?
£12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, from 1 April 2026.
Should a salesperson at an accountancy firm have an accounting qualification?
It helps, but it isn't essential. An AAT Level 3 or 4, or part-qualified ACCA, CIMA or ACA, means they understand the services they're selling and can scope and price work accurately. Strong B2B sales experience with good training on your services can work too, as long as technical questions go to a qualified accountant.
What qualification should an accounts admin assistant have?
None is essential for a purely admin role, but the AAT Level 2 Certificate in Accounting is useful if they'll help with bookkeeping or data entry. Experience with practice software, client onboarding and AML document checks is often just as valuable.
Is it cheaper to automate admin than to hire?
It depends on the work. Repetitive tasks such as screening enquiries, booking calls, chasing proposals and sending engagement letters can be automated for a fraction of the cost of a hire, leaving people for the work that needs them.
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