Bookkeeper hourly rate in United Kingdom
The market median wage for a Bookkeeper in the United Kingdom is £16.19 an hour. A senior part-time contractor typically receives £23 an hour on Deftridge.
Bookkeeper wage percentiles in United Kingdom
Employee wages for the role. The yellow row is the median.
| Percentile | Per hour | 5 h a week, per month | Full time, per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | £12.66 | £270 | £26,300 |
| 25th | £13.91 | £300 | £28,900 |
| Median | £16.19 | £350 | £33,700 |
| 75th | £20.46 | £440 | £42,600 |
| 90th | £26.28 | £570 | £54,700 |
Source: Office for National Statistics, 2026p; aged to October 2026; about 280,000 people employed in the role. How rates are built.
United Kingdom in numbers
What sets the United Kingdom apart for a Bookkeeper, from the same sources as the table above.
- £19.46
- highest median wage, London
- £14.63
- lowest median wage, Northern Ireland
- 280,000
- people employed in the role
- £23
- country floor: no United Kingdom rate is published below it, and this role is at the floor
- For tax year 2026 to 2027, self-employed Class 4 National Insurance is 6% on profits over £12,570 up to £50,270 and 2% on profits over £50,270. Source
- Class 2 National Insurance does not have to be paid: with profits of £7,105 or more it is treated as paid; below that, voluntary Class 2 is £3.65 a week for 2026 to 2027. Source
What contractors receive
The Deftridge rate for a Bookkeeper in the United Kingdom by level and by format. The company adds 15% on top; you keep all of the rate shown.
| Level | Per hour | Per month at 5 h/week |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist (country floor) | £23 | £500 |
| Senior (country floor) | £23 | £500 |
Rows marked country floor would come out lower by the formula; the United Kingdom floor of £23 applies instead.
Bookkeeper pay by region in United Kingdom
Typical contractor rate for a senior Bookkeeper, highest first; 9 of 12 places shown.
| Place | Median wage | Contractor rate |
|---|---|---|
| London | £19.46 | £30 |
| South West | £16.87 | £24 |
| Scotland | £16.56 | £24 |
| East of England | £16.44 | £24 |
| North West | £16.26 | £24 |
| West Midlands | £16.26 | £24 |
| South East | £16.17 | £23 |
| East Midlands | £16.08 | £23 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £15.72 | £23 |
Questions about pay, fees and privacy
The same rules apply to every task, so they live on two pages: Pricing explains the 15% fee, prepayment and when you are paid; How it works covers matching, what a company sees and side work next to a job.
Bookkeeper rates in every country · Bookkeeper jobs in United Kingdom · Methodology