What do paralegals earn in London?

Dec 19, 2022

Written By Tom Hale

Being a paralegal is a rewarding, multi-faceted role that oftentimes reaps many rewards and benefits outside of the mere financial realm. This article will explore what you can expect to be paid as a paralegal in London

What do paralegals earn in London?

As a paralegal you are contributing to the effective running of a law firm, working alongside others to achieve goals and targets.

The role can take you to many interesting places, into fascinating situations, and plunge you into exciting environments: both at home and abroad. For many aspiring UK paralegals there is nowhere with a bigger draw than London.

London and the Average

With most roles in any industry within London and other major UK cities you can expect to earn more on average than the same role in a smaller town or area. For a paralegal this is no different.

A paralegal in London can expect, on average, to earn a salary of £29,000 per year with an average cash compensation of £1,500. This salary can differ depending on the sector of law you’re working in, your law firm’s turnover, and your legal experience.

Elsewhere and the Average

So, what is the difference between London and the rest of the UK? There is a significant but not shocking drop in what a paralegal earns outside of London.

On average, a paralegals salary per year is about £24,000. This is a drop of £5,000. Yet, this is merely an average and significant differences from firm to firm and individual to individual can be expected.

The Cost of Living

The main reason behind the salary gap is the cost of living increase in London in comparison to the rest of the UK. Prices in London are estimated at an average of 7% higher than in the rest of the UK. Thus, as a generalisation one could say it is 7% more expensive to live in London.

However, this does not take into account rent or house prices and the difference in price this brings. Compared to the small 7% increase this price gap is a whopping 58%.

Therefore, despite the average salary increase for paralegals, which stands at 16% (£5,000), by working in London you are technically worse off financially.

However, this does not take into account the other benefits (increased career opportunities down the line, larger work environments and thus workplace culture, and increased social life opportunities) that come with living and working in London.

The Answer

What do paralegals earn in London? The simple answer to the question is around £29,000. The in-depth answer is quite a bit more complicated.

Yes, they earn a fairly significant amount more than those in the rest of the country, however, financially you may be worse off by working in London. Yet, you must also consider the other benefits when making your decision.

Take it all into account: the good, the bad, and the sometimes ugly. Then, once you have done this make a decision as to where you’d like to work as a paralegal.

Paralegal Work