A £30,000 UK admin hire actually costs around £45,000 once you add employer NICs, pension contributions, holiday cover, sick days, equipment, software seats, and the cost of attrition.
This piece breaks down the real, fully-loaded cost of UK labour in 2026 by role — admin, support, finance, ops — and compares it directly against the cost of an equivalent AI workforce.
Essential reading for any UK business making a hiring decision in 2026.