If you are hiring a PA or EA in 2026, or mapping your next move as a candidate, you are likely seeing a market that is busy, selective and skills led. Pay has moved since 2024-2025, hybrid patterns have settled, and the best assistants are choosing roles that offer impact and development, not just a title.
Below is a clear, current view of salary bands across London and Manchester, what is driving demand, and which skills are commanding a premium. You will also find practical interview tips and how TalentYard benchmarks offers so both sides feel the hire is fair.
What salaries look like in 2026
Salary ranges reflect typical base pay for full-time permanent roles. Packages can vary with sector, scope, benefits and size of company.
London
- Junior PA or Team Assistant: £28,000 to £35,000
- Mid-level PA or Senior Team Assistant: £35,000 to £48,000
- EA to Director or C-suite: £50,000 to £75,000
- Private PA or HNW lifestyle support: £45,000 to £80,000, sometimes higher with 24/7 or travel
- Office Manager or hybrid PA-Office Manager: £38,000 to £55,000
- Reception or Front of House lead: £28,000 to £36,000
Manchester and the North West
- Junior PA or Team Assistant: £24,000 to £30,000
- Mid-level PA or Senior Team Assistant: £30,000 to £40,000
- EA to Director or C-suite: £40,000 to £60,000
- Private PA or HNW lifestyle support: £38,000 to £65,000
- Office Manager or hybrid PA-Office Manager: £32,000 to £45,000
- Reception or Front of House lead: £23,000 to £30,000
Day rates for temporary cover vary by urgency and scope, but London typically sits higher than Manchester. If you need urgent holiday or project cover, our team can advise on current temp rates and availability.
Benefits and working patterns employers are offering
Hybrid is now the default. Most London roles are three days in office and two remote. Manchester often sees two to three office days depending on team size and client contact. Four days in office is more common in reception-facing roles, private support and highly confidential teams.
Common benefits include:
- Discretionary bonus tied to company performance
- Enhanced annual leave and pension
- Private medical or health cash plans, wellbeing budgets
- Training budgets, mentoring and LinkedIn Learning access
- Travel cards, cycle schemes, lunch or office perks
- Flexi-time or compressed hours around events, board cycles or travel
Demand in 2026, and where it is coming from
Hiring has been resilient across both cities, with a steady stream of permanent roles and an uptick in temp and contract cover for projects and events. We are seeing consistent demand from:
- Professional services and finance, especially for EAs in board-facing roles
- Healthcare and clinics, where patient flow and compliance require strong coordination
- Property and real estate, often hybrid PA-Office Manager briefs
- Technology, scale-ups and investor-backed firms that value proactive, systems-minded support
- Non-profits and think tanks seeking polished stakeholder engagement
- Private and high-net-worth households needing discreet, flexible support
Is PA still in demand? Yes. The title varies by company, but the function is vital. Employers are asking for assistants who can manage information, drive actions and improve processes, not just gatekeep diaries.
Skills that attract higher pay
- C-suite support with board prep, investor liaison and governance packs
- Private or HNW experience with confidentiality, travel and lifestyle logistics
- Second languages, especially French, Spanish, Italian, German and Arabic in international teams
- Events and projects, from venue sourcing to end-to-end run sheets and budgets
- Systems depth, for example Microsoft 365 power-user skills, CRM ownership or expense platforms
- Data-minded habits, building trackers, dashboards and tidy knowledge bases
- Calm judgement in high-trust environments, including healthcare and legal
The highest paid PA positions are typically EAs to CEOs or Chairs in finance or high-growth companies, and Private PAs for HNW families with complex travel, property and event portfolios.
London vs Manchester: how to decide
London offers the widest range of senior EA and private roles with higher ceilings, but competition is fierce and scope can be intense. Manchester provides excellent progression in multi-hat jobs, strong culture and often better work-life balance for similar responsibility at a lower cost of living. If you are open to either, focus on role quality, stretch and manager fit more than postcode.
If you are exploring the market, our live roles page is a good starting place for PA and EA vacancies as well as broader office support opportunities. You can browse current openings across both cities and apply quickly.
- Explore current opportunities in London and beyond: https://talentyard.co.uk/jobs/
- See our PA and business support hiring approach for London clients: https://talentyard.co.uk/pa-business-support/
- Learn about our Manchester PA, HR and business support expertise: https://talentyard.co.uk/manchester-pa-hr-business-support-recruitment/
Interview readiness tips for 2026
- Prepare impact stories. Show how you improved a process, rescued a critical deadline, or created order during change. Use numbers where possible.
- Know your tools. Be ready to demo shortcuts in Outlook, Excel or Teams, and explain how you manage priorities in a shared calendar world.
- Map stakeholders. Explain how you build trust with a new Principal, gatekeep diplomatically and escalate the right problems at the right time.
- Bring a pack. A crisp CV, a 30-60-90 focus outline for onboarding and a short list of systems you can own from week one.
- Clarify boundaries. Discuss hybrid rhythm, availability around board cycles or travel, and what good support looks like on both sides.
How TalentYard benchmarks and negotiates fairly
We start with role mapping. Scope, pace, stakeholders and success measures matter as much as a job title. We compare the brief with live placements across sectors in London and Manchester to set a realistic range, then advise on benefits that increase stickiness without inflating base pay.
For candidates, we share transparent market data, prep you thoroughly and help you position your strengths with evidence. For clients, we present shortlists that match the brief closely, so offers do not drift. We handle negotiation with care and aim for offers that feel balanced, sustainable and fair.
If you want to discuss a brief or your next move with a specialist recruiter who knows the PA, EA and office support market, we are here to help.
Quick FAQ
- What is the average salary for a PA in London? Most mid-level PAs land between £35,000 and £48,000, with junior starting nearer £28,000 to £35,000 and senior hybrids or EA-leaning roles rising above £50,000.
- How much do personal assistants make in London? Across levels, typical pay spans £28,000 to £75,000, depending on scope, sector and whether the role is EA, private or C-suite facing.
- Is PA still in demand? Yes. Demand remains healthy in 2026 across professional services, healthcare, property, technology, non-profits and private households.
- What is the highest paid PA position? EAs to CEOs or Chairs in finance or high-growth firms, and Private PAs to HNW families with complex travel and events, usually offer the highest salaries.
- Can I work as a PA in London? Absolutely. If you have solid administration, diary and stakeholder skills, there is a market for junior to senior roles. Many roles are hybrid with three office days.
Final pointers for candidates and hiring managers
Candidates: target roles where your strengths match the problems to be solved. Keep a running list of wins, update your systems toolkit and practice concise, confident examples for interviews. If you are ready to apply, you can browse PA roles in London and Manchester on our jobs page at https://talentyard.co.uk/jobs/.
Hiring managers: write a clear brief with outcomes, not just tasks, and set a hybrid pattern that works for delivery. If you need a sounding board or a shortlist, our specialist team can help you shape the role and move quickly, whether that is permanent, contract or urgent cover.
Summary: 2026 is a good market for strong assistants and a competitive one for employers. Pay is healthy, hybrid is normal, and skills in board support, private work, languages and events lift salaries. If you want tailored advice or a fresh shortlist, speak with TalentYard’s specialist team for London and Manchester support.
