What to charge as freelance specialist administrator?

[newnamenellie]

Can anyone advise what my charge out rate should be as a freelance/self employed administrator working in a specialist area (mental health). I’m discussing an opportunity and was asked what my rate is but I’m currently employed in a similar role and therefore have no idea what to suggest.
I’m in North Yorkshire.
TIA

Didn’t realise this was even a job that could be self employed! Who would employ you as a one man band contractor ?

Err, maybe the person discussing the opportunity with the Op?

Indeed

And I’m asking who - an organisation? Public sector? Private?

I employ a contractor to do my admin, the going rate seems to be around £30-40 an hour

What do you get paid for this similar role?

Most admin jobs tend to be within about 10% of the minimum wage so if you’re being asked for a day rate, £175-200 would be a good place to pitch as that’s in the area of what a PAYE admin person would be costing to employ directly. It might sound a lot to you but you need to consider, in addition to what you actually get, that the employer is responsible for paying not just the salary but employers NI, a pension contribution, holiday pay (12.08% is the figure I remember), sick pay if applicable and then the additional costs of providing office space and equipment. So you may be costing your employer £200 a day but only seeing £100 of that after you’ve paid your share of tax and NI too.

Yes, I know, it's unusual.
The organisation was looking for a virtual assistant to provide admin support and I responded on the basis that I very much have all of the skills and background that the 'employer' is looking, I never said I was a VA.
I think the employer is a little unsure of what's needed, she basically needs help with admin and I think thought that a VA would be the best option. From what she said, I don't think she's found anyone suitable amongst applicants from that profession.
I was open about who/what I am in the interview and said that I'm here because I basically do this exact role already elsewhere and could certainly help.

Yes, I currently get paid a little above minimum wage but I work for a small charity so that's partly the reason for that.

Private

Thank you, that's really helpful 😊

£30-£45 an hour is the going rate for experienced VAs I use. (As in experienced in the type of admin not experienced in being a VA necessarily)

I always tell self employed clients to charge roughly double their hourly wage. So if you're currently on around just over minimum wage, say £15, then a self employed hourly rate of £30 would seem roughly about right, though you could try to get a little higher to say £35?

It not only has to cover your "admin", i.e. admin time, accountants fees, etc., but also you don't get paid holidays, bare minimum of maternity pay, no statutory sick pay, and you need to fully fund your own pensions, business insurance, equipment, utilities if working from home, travel and training etc.

I tell clients never to even consider charging less than double the equivalent hourly wage as an employee.

£30-£35 (London), sort of similar role

Also, present in meetings and doing related work it’s a flat 1hr meeting = 5hr pay (includes minutes, communication and admin). Specialist bit routine meetings, so less admin £270 flat rate