How Much Should IT Support Cost in London?

IT support is a necessary service for the majority of companies, especially as more and more business is done online. If you are looking for IT support in London and want to know how much it costs, there are different factors to take into account. Here we share how much IT support in London should cost depending on different business variables.

How Expensive Is IT support?

Costs for IT support in London vary depending on many different factors including location, specific requirements of the business, and the level of technical expertise required. Compared to the rest of the country, IT support costs in central London tend to be higher. 

With London the business hub of the United Kingdom, there is a greater need for IT support and a great deal of value is placed on skill level. Typically, the further out of London you get, the cheaper the prices tend to be. Again, this will also depend on other factors.

How Much Should a Small Business in London Pay for IT Support?

The exact cost for IT services in the UK varies with the average hourly rate falling between £50 to £150 per hour. Prices will also vary depending on the IT professional doing the work. For example, part-time technicians could charge around £60-£70 per hour whereas a professional and experienced IT support company could charge more in the range of £80 to £150.

How Much Should You Pay for Ad-Hoc IT Support?

There are typically two main price models used by IT support companies. These are the “Break & Fix” model and the “Managed IT Services” model. Generally speaking, you will pay anywhere from £70-£100 per hour for “Break & Fix” and around £150 per user for fully Managed IT services.
Managed IT services are often thought of as the most cost-effective form of IT support and, subsequently, tend to be favoured by small businesses looking to save money.

What Is the Difference Between Break & Fix and Managed IT Services?

Break & Fix refers to when IT support is used for companies whenever they are having technical issues. This means that the company will only seek the services of an IT support company if they are having a specific problem.

While this can be seen as a way of cutting costs, because you only seek help in the event of a problem, it also has its drawbacks. With the Break & Fix approach, you will not be able to predict how much your IT costs will set you back. When a technical issue arrives, you will need to solve it in the moment and pay whatever price you are quoted. 

Not only that, with Break & Fix, you do not have any ongoing protection and monitoring for your systems – you only have IT support in times of technical issues. 

Thus, depending on the needs of your business and how much you are relying on IT support services, the Break & Fix option may not be cost effective.

Managed IT services, on the other hand, are a way to delegate all technology related tasks to an expert in order to free up internal teams, improve service quality and reduce overall company costs. Rather than working on an ad-hoc basis, these tend to be as contracted or subscription services.

What Are the Average Costs of IT Support for Small Businesses in London?

If you are a small business, finding a cost-effective IT support solution is a major priority – especially for those who have a remote workforce.

For remote working, fully managed IT support could be the most cost-effective solution to support your business’ IT needs. If you opt for ad-hoc support, you will pay per technical issue which could work out to be more expensive, depending on your company’s requirements. 

You should also think about the type of pricing model that works best for you. For example, if you have a fully managed IT support solution, you will be charged per user, usually calculated for a fixed monthly fee. For Break & Fix type solutions, you will pay per hour for the technical support. In London, where the demand and prices are higher, this could work out to be more expensive. However, will depend on your budget and requirements. 

If you have a small team and opt for fully managed IT support, paying per user, this could mean that you are paying less. Even in London where the prices are typically higher than in other parts of the country, paying per user for a small team can work out to be one of the cost-effective ways of paying for IT support.