UK administrative and business support salary benchmarks and trends

Name: Salary negotiations
Creator: Robert Half

2027 UK Salary Guide

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As administrative and business support roles become more technically demanding and their scope evolves, employers in Britain are placing greater value on professionals with specialised skills and experience. In some cases that means exceeding budgeted salary ranges to secure talent.

Candidates who pair technical aptitude with strong communication skills and sound judgment can command higher pay, as competition remains strong for roles where service quality and operational efficiency are critical.

Hiring managers: Meet with us to get customised salary insights and guidance so you can build offers candidates say yes to.

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Enter your city to see salaries tailored to your local market. Starting salaries can vary significantly depending on your skills and experience, the size and sector of the organisation, and the demand for the role in your area. The city you choose reflects not only the urban centre but also the surrounding region.

Customer Services

Executive Support

Office Support

Secretarial

Position title

25th percentile

50th percentile

75th percentile

Head of Customer Success

44250

51750

56500

Customer Success Manager

30000

37000

44750

25th percentile

The candidate has little or no prior experience in the position and is still developing relevant skills.

50th percentile

The candidate has an average level of experience and has most of the necessary skills.

75th percentile

The candidate has above-average experience, has most or all the necessary skills, and may have specialised qualifications.

2027 UK administrative and business support compensation trends

Insights at a glance

31%

of administrative and business support hiring managers are offering salaries above their planned ranges to secure top talent.

74%

cite the need to secure candidates with specialised skills as a reason.

29%

are paying more for professionals with generative AI skills.

Specialised skills commanding premiums

Professionals with the following skills may command higher pay:

AI skills

CRM

Customer experience

Analysis and research skills

ESG

ERP/CMS systems

Salary negotiations

Candidates with specialised, in-demand skill sets have greater leverage in compensation discussions, and many employers are responding in kind. The administrative salary guide points to a targeted, skills-driven approach to compensation, where negotiation is driven by the premium placed on hard-to-find expertise.

61%

of managers are willing to negotiate base pay.

28%

say candidates frequently negotiate higher salaries based on specialised skills.

28%

of professionals struggle with knowing their market worth.

Rewards that motivate career moves

When base pay is similar, administrative and business support professionals weigh other factors heavily when considering a job change. Benefits, perks and incentives can help companies strengthen offers and stand out to in-demand candidates. Top benefits and perks that would motivate a job change include:

Work‑life balance and flexibility

Hybrid work options, flexible work schedules, unpaid leave, sabbaticals/leaves of absence

Financial

Bonuses, meal vouchers, commuting discounts, home office equipment allowance

Discover the perks candidates value most

Roles, industries and certifications on the rise

As organisations continue to focus on efficiency, employee experience and operational effectiveness, these roles are experiencing above-average demand in administrative and business support.

Customer Success Manager

Receptionist

Administrator

Office Manager

Executive Assistant

Team-Personal Assistant

Business Operations Coordinator

Head of Customer Success

Head of Operations

Legal Secretary

Certain industries continue to invest heavily in administrative and business support talent, especially where efficient operations, customer service excellence, organisational coordination and business continuity are critical to success.

Business Services

Education / Research

Healthcare

Hospitality

Trade / Retail

Certifications can justify higher pay when they demonstrate expertise in business administration, project coordination, quality management and process improvement, helping organisations operate more efficiently and deliver consistent service standards.

ISO9001

NVQ Business Admin

PRINCE 2

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Trends and salaries by professional field

Get projected 2027 starting salaries and salary insights in 6 professional fields.

Finance and accounting

IT and technology

Marketing and creative

Legal

Human resources

The salary benchmarks in the UK Salary Guide From Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process designed to reflect projected market trends for 2027. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has placed across the UK, along with 365k third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use for independent validation.

Non-salary data referenced in the UK Salary Guide is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Robert Half commissioned research amongst 1,500 respondents using an online data collection methodology. The respondents represent 500 hiring managers and 1,000 workers in finance and accounting, IT and technology, administrative and office support, marketing and creative, and legal. Respondents are drawn from a sample of small-to-midsized enterprises (20-249 employees), and large (250-plus employees) private, publicly listed and public sector organisations across the UK.