How much does IT support cost per hour in the UK?

Typically £50–£100 per hour for break-fix support, with minimum callouts of 1–2 hours. Specialised network or field engineering work runs higher. Monthly contracts usually work out cheaper for businesses needing regular help.

What is the average monthly IT support cost per user in the UK?

Managed IT support contracts typically cost £25–£75 per user per month depending on service level, response times and included security. Small businesses often pay a fixed monthly fee per device or user.

Is break-fix or a monthly contract better for a small business?

Break-fix suits businesses with rare, minor IT needs. A monthly contract becomes cost-effective once you need more than 1–2 hours of help monthly, and adds proactive monitoring that prevents expensive downtime.

How Much Does IT Support Cost a UK Business?

THE THREE PRICING MODELS

UK IT support is sold three ways — understanding them is 90% of the budgeting job:

1. Break-fix (pay per call)

Hourly rate: £50–£100/hour, minimum callout usually 1–2 hours
Per-visit pricing: £90–£150 for a standard 1–2 hour resolution visit
Best for: businesses with rare, simple IT needs
Risk: costs spike exactly when things go wrong — and urgency costs more

2. Managed service contracts (monthly)

Per user: £25–£75/user/month depending on response times and inclusions
Per device: £15–£40/device/month
Includes monitoring, updates, helpdesk, and usually proactive fixes
Best for: 5+ staff businesses — predictable costs, problems fixed before you notice

3. Project & field work (per job/contract)

Installations, moves, rollouts: quoted per site or per day (£250–£600/day typical)
Best for: specific events — new office, refresh project, structured cabling

WHAT PUSHES COST UP OR DOWN

Response time: same-day/4-hour SLAs cost meaningfully more than next-day
Out-of-hours: evenings/weekends typically 1.5–2× standard rates
Location: London premiums vs regional rates; remote-only support is cheapest
Environment: servers and compliance-heavy sectors cost more than pure laptop estates
Proactive vs reactive: monitoring costs monthly but prevents the £1,000 emergencies

THE HIDDEN COSTS OF NO SUPPORT

The cheapest option on paper is often the most expensive in reality. Consider what downtime actually costs: staff idle at £15–£40/hour each, missed client work, and data-loss recovery (which starts around £500 and climbs fast). One prevented ransomware incident or one avoided weekend of downtime pays for years of support contracts. IT support isn't a cost centre — it's downtime insurance with extra steps.

HOW TO BUDGET — BY BUSINESS SIZE

Business	Sensible monthly IT budget
1–5 staff	£50–£150 (break-fix + occasional hours)
6–20 staff	£150–£600 (light contract or retainer)
21–50 staff	£600–£2,500 (managed contract)
50+ staff	£2,500+ (contract + project budget)

Plus a capital refresh cycle: laptops every 3–5 years at £300–£800 each — spread the cost in phases.

QUESTIONS TO ASK ANY PROVIDER

What exactly is included at this price — and what bills extra?
What's your guaranteed response time — and is it contractual?
Do you monitor proactively, or only respond when we call?
Who actually takes the calls — qualified engineers or a call centre?
Can you also handle our hardware, installs and disposal? (One throat to choke = fewer blame games)

QUICK SUMMARY

Break-fix: £50–£100/hr — fine for tiny, rare needs
Contracts: £25–£75/user/month — right from ~5 staff upward
Response-time guarantees are where the real money is
Budget by size: £50/month (tiny) to £2,500+/month (50+ staff)
Compare providers on inclusion lists, not just headline rates — ask Triset for a transparent quote