PRICING GUIDE
What Does an Offshore Bookkeeper Cost in the UK?
An offshore bookkeeper working through a dedicated staffing partner typically costs a fixed monthly fee starting from £1,195/mo — against a true all-in cost of £33,000–£40,000 a year for a UK in-house hire once salary, employer National Insurance, pension and recruitment fees are counted. This guide breaks down both sides of that comparison with sourced UK figures, so you can budget accurately before you hire.
AT A GLANCE
The short answer
True annual cost of a UK in-house bookkeeper, all-in
Fixed fee for a dedicated offshore bookkeeper
Typical savings offshore vs a UK in-house hire
UK bookkeeper hourly rate range, by context
THE UK BENCHMARK
The true cost of a UK in-house bookkeeper
A UK bookkeeper’s advertised salary is only part of what you actually pay. Once you add employer-side National Insurance, pension auto-enrolment, and the recruitment fee to fill the role, the real annual cost runs well above the headline figure.
| Cost item | Typical UK figure |
|---|---|
| Base salary (Glassdoor UK average) | £26,996/yr (£21,000–£30,000 range) |
| Employer National Insurance (2026/27, 15% above the £5,000 secondary threshold) | ~£3,300/yr |
| Pension auto-enrolment (3% minimum employer contribution) | ~£650/yr |
| Recruitment or agency fee (one-off, typically 15–20% of salary) | £4,000–£5,400 |
| Total true first-year cost | ≈£33,000–£40,000 |
That figure doesn’t include sick pay, holiday cover, desk space, software licences, or the weeks of lost productivity if the hire doesn’t work out and you have to start again.
THE OFFSHORE MODEL
What an offshore bookkeeper actually costs
Offshore bookkeeping through a dedicated staffing partner works on a fixed monthly fee, not an hourly bill. TalentDock places dedicated, full-time bookkeepers — based in Sri Lanka or the Philippines — who work exclusively on your accounts, on your own software, for a fixed fee starting from £1,195/mo. There’s no separate recruitment fee, no employer NIC, and no pension contribution for you to manage — that’s bundled into the monthly rate.
What’s included in that fee: a dedicated, vetted bookkeeper working your hours (with timezone overlap), day-to-day management and HR handled by the staffing partner, and ongoing quality oversight. Pricing scales mainly with experience level and weekly hours, not with how many invoices you process.
THE COMPARISON POINT
What is the hourly rate for a bookkeeper in the UK?
UK bookkeeper hourly rates vary widely by region and engagement type. If you’re comparing offshore fixed-fee pricing against paying a UK bookkeeper by the hour, here’s the current range:
| Context | Typical hourly rate |
|---|---|
| General UK average | £20–£55/hr |
| Freelance/self-employed bookkeeper | £22–£40/hr |
| London | £30–£55/hr |
| Other major UK cities | £25–£45/hr |
| Smaller towns | £20–£35/hr |
At even 15–20 hours a month, a freelance UK bookkeeper at £30–£40/hr comes to £450–£800/mo for part-time cover with no guaranteed availability — compared to a full-time, dedicated offshore bookkeeper from £1,195/mo.
SIDE BY SIDE
UK in-house vs UK freelance vs offshore dedicated
| Option | Typical cost | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| UK in-house bookkeeper | £33,000–£40,000/yr true cost | Dedicated, but slow and expensive to replace |
| UK freelance bookkeeper | £22–£40/hr, variable hours | Flexible, but split across multiple clients, no guaranteed capacity |
| TalentDock offshore bookkeeper | Fixed fee, from £1,195/mo — no hourly billing | Dedicated, full-time, works exclusively for you |
Most clients hiring a dedicated offshore bookkeeper save 50–70% versus the true cost of a UK in-house hire, while getting a fixed, predictable monthly fee instead of a variable hourly bill.
WHAT MOVES THE PRICE
What affects offshore bookkeeper pricing
Experience level
AAT/IAB/ICB-qualified and senior bookkeepers cost more than entry-level, the same as in the UK market.
Weekly hours
Part-time engagements cost less than a full-time dedicated hire, but full-time is usually better value per hour.
Software complexity
Multi-entity, multi-currency, or heavily customised Xero/QuickBooks setups can carry a small premium.
Country of hire
Sri Lanka and the Philippines both offer strong English-language, UK-trained bookkeeping talent at similar price bands.
WATCH FOR THIS
Hidden costs to check for — on both sides
Whichever route you choose, ask what’s actually included before you commit. On the UK side, watch for uncosted overtime, temp cover during leave, and software licence fees stacked on top of salary. On the offshore side, ask whether the fee is genuinely all-in (no separate setup fee, no per-software surcharge) and whether there’s a replacement guarantee if the placement isn’t a fit — TalentDock includes one at no extra recruitment fee.
FAQ
Cost questions, answered
What is the hourly rate for a bookkeeper in the UK?
UK bookkeeper hourly rates typically run £20–£55/hr depending on region and experience: £22–£40/hr for freelance bookkeepers, £30–£55/hr in London, £25–£45/hr in other major cities, and £20–£35/hr in smaller towns.
What hourly rate should a bookkeeper charge?
Most UK bookkeepers charge between £20 and £55 an hour, with qualified (AAT/IAB/ICB) and London-based bookkeepers at the upper end. Rates also depend on whether the work is ad hoc, part-time, or a dedicated ongoing engagement.
How much does an offshore bookkeeper cost per month?
A dedicated, full-time offshore bookkeeper through TalentDock starts from £1,195/mo, as a single fixed fee with no separate hourly billing, recruitment fee, or employer NIC/pension for you to manage.
Is offshore bookkeeping cheaper than hiring in the UK?
Yes, in most cases. A UK in-house bookkeeper costs roughly £33,000–£40,000/yr once salary, employer NIC, pension, and recruitment fees are counted. A dedicated offshore bookkeeper typically costs 50–70% less for full-time, dedicated capacity.
Do offshore bookkeepers charge VAT?
This depends on your staffing partner’s structure and your business’s VAT position — ask your provider directly, and check with your accountant on how the invoice should be treated for your VAT return.
What's included in the monthly fee?
A dedicated, vetted bookkeeper working your hours, day-to-day HR and management handled by the staffing partner, and ongoing quality oversight. Software licences (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage) are typically on your existing account, not resold by the provider.
Are there setup fees for hiring an offshore bookkeeper?
With TalentDock, no separate setup fee is added on top of the monthly rate — the fee you’re quoted is the fee you pay.
How does offshore bookkeeping pricing compare to accounting software alone?
Software like Xero or QuickBooks automates data capture but still needs a human to reconcile, categorise, and catch errors. Most growing UK businesses need both: the software plus a dedicated bookkeeper to run it properly.
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