Are you a paralegal working in the UK, or thinking about finding work in the UK? If you are, do you know what’s a reasonable expectation for a UK paralegal salary in 2026? Paralegal salaries are actually on the rise in the UK right now, but entry-level and mid-career paralegals still earn below the national average. Salaries for senior paralegals are improving, though—even when they don’t have specialised legal qualifications.
This Remitly guide explores current UK paralegal salaries and what influences them—from location to experience to specific expertise. We’ll also take a look at the current trends and how much paralegal salaries are expected to increase in 2026. We’ll share some ideas on what you can do to maximise your earning potential, too. You’ll have all the information you need to decide whether pursuing the paralegal profession in the UK is the right choice for you.
What’s the current average paralegal salary in the UK?
Paralegals are trained professionals who help lawyers with legal tasks such as researching laws, preparing documents, and managing cases. You don’t need a law degree to become a paralegal, but paralegal experience can be a pathway to becoming a legal executive or solicitor with additional training.
According to the National Careers Service, the current average salary for a paralegal is around £20,000 per year for a starter and £40,000 for an experienced paralegal working 37-40 hours per week.
Paralegals often start with an apprenticeship, with pay starting from around £14,000 per year. Qualified mid-career professionals with three to five years’ experience can expect to earn £25,000- £30,000 depending on a variety of factors. Experienced paralegals can earn up to £40,000 and, depending on the type of work, paralegals can also earn bonuses, though this will vary by firm.
| Experience Level | Average Annual Salary | Take-Home Annual Salary | Take-Home Monthly Salary |
| Starter | £20,000 | £17,919 | £1,493 |
| Mid-Career | £28,000 | £23,679 | £1,973 |
| Senior | £40,000 | £32,319 | £2,693 |
What affects how much you’ll earn?
It’s not just experience that matters. A variety of other factors can influence how much you earn as a paralegal, including what part of the country you’re located in, the type of law you specialise in, and the type of firm you work for. We’ll get into that in a bit more detail shortly.
Unfortunately many paralegals earn less than the national average salary for the UK, which is £37,430 per year at time of writing. Entry-level paralegals may also learn less than what’s considered a living wage for the UK, which is £12.60 per hour (about £26,000 per year) across the country and £13.85 per hour (about £27,000 per year) for London.
So it’s probably no surprise that paralegals will often undertake further study to become a legal executive. This can boost their earnings up to £60,000 per year with the experience they’ll have gained as a paralegal, or later even as a solicitor, which pays around £80,000 per year with experience. However, a survey by Totally Legal suggests that more paralegals are choosing to stay in the paralegal lane and find higher-paying, senior paralegal roles rather than become solicitors. We’ll talk about that a bit later, too.
How will paralegal salaries change by 2026?
The average pay increase in line with inflation expected for all jobs across the UK is expected to be anywhere from 3% to 3.9% in 2026. But paralegals may see their wages rise by a bit more than that.
That’s because demand and opportunities for paralegals are on the rise. The legal landscape is changing: many firms are employing fewer high-salary solicitors and leaning more on mid-career and senior paralegals who can deliver similar services at a lower cost.
This is mainly because legal representation in the UK is getting more expensive, partly because of budget cuts to legal aid. To help fill the gap and support legal clients with smaller budgets, legal firms are relying more on paralegals to deliver services that may previously have been provided by legal executives and solicitors.
You can expect more with more experience
As a result of these changes, experienced paralegals have been able to demand higher salaries, paralegals’ base salaries reportedly rose by up to 8% last year, and 43% of them took home a bonus. Remember, though, that these bigger increases were mainly given to more experienced, senior paralegals.
Junior paralegals haven’t had it quite so good recently, though. Their roles are being challenged by automation, with AI taking on tasks such as document reviews, discovery, and research. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword: while this is generally keeping junior paralegal salaries static, it does mean that if you embrace new legal technology and master its application, you’ll have a valuable competitive edge.
So if current trends continue, we project that junior paralegals will only see their salaries rise in line with inflation, while experienced and senior paralegals might see their salaries increase to the £30,000-£45,000 range.
Key factors that influence your paralegal salary
We mentioned that there are some pretty big differences in UK paralegal salary ranges. So apart from experience, what else influences the salary you can expect?
Location
As with most jobs, where you are in the UK has a big say in how much you make, and of course your cost of living.
Paralegals in London can expect to earn more than in the rest of the country: there are more opportunities in the capital and pay is higher. A 2024 survey said that paralegals in London earned an average of £35,000 per year, compared to £20,000 in locations like the Midlands and Wales, and £27,500 for fully-remote workers.
| Area | Average Salary |
| Wales | £20,000 |
| Midlands | £21,666 |
| South East (excluding London) | £25,000 |
| South West | £25,000 |
| Home-Based (fully remote) | £27,500 |
| North West | £29,500 |
| North East | £27,500 |
| London | £35,500 |
Area of law
The area of law you specialise in can also make a big difference to your salary. Paralegals who specialise in a complex area of contract law—such as intellectual property, entertainment, or immigration—can expect higher salaries than those working in criminal or family law.
While we can never be absolutely definitive because it does change by company and seniority, a 2024 survey gave these approximate average salaries for different sectors of law in the UK. As you can see there were some big differences between different areas:
| Area of Law | Average Salary |
| Corporate | £22,500 |
| Criminal | £22,500 |
| Property | £24,000 |
| Employment | £25,000 |
| Family | £25,000 |
| Banking/Finance | £26,250 |
| Personal Injury | £27,500 |
| Litigation | £32,500 |
| Intellectual Property | £35,000 |
| Company/Commercial | £40,000 |
| Immigration | £46,000 |
| Entertainment | £55,000 |
Type of firm
Larger law firms and government agencies also tend to pay more than smaller firms or non-profit organisations.
The highest salaries are offered at the so-called Magic Circle firms. These are five prestigious, international firms with headquarters in London: A&O Shearman, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, Linklaters, and Slaughter and May. High-street firms and non-profits just can’t compete with their hiring power, but may offer other perks such as more flexible working hours.
In-house paralegals for businesses are also being paid good salaries at companies that keep their legal teams internal. These often come with different job titles, like Legal Advisor or Contracts Manager.
How to increase your earning potential as a paralegal
With so much room for movement in paralegal salaries, how can you ensure that you’re maximising your earning potential? Consider focusing on these main areas and activities:
- Develop specialities in high-demand areas of law, such as entertainment and IP.
- Develop expertise in emerging areas such as legal tech and AI applications.
- If you’re prepared for the higher expectations and tougher targets, target your job search to large firms offering higher salaries, with more room for promotion.
- Pursue qualifications that upgrade your earning potential: there are lots of courses for paralegals.
- Complete the CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) Professional Qualification to become a Legal Executive.
- Complete the Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) to become a solicitor.
What else can you do?
On top of all this, consider negotiating your salary, both when you receive a job offer and during performance reviews. Reviews are generally when businesses are assessing salaries and have the budget to offer raises.
Here are a few tips that should help:
- Research the current market rate for comparable roles so you have a good idea of what you’re worth.
- Prove it by highlighting a tangible positive impact you’ve had on the business, such as gaining new clients for the firm or saving them money.
- Highlight new skills and responsibilities you’ve taken on that justify a raise.
Remember, if you don’t ask, you’ll never know what you can get. If you’re honest, reasonable, and respectful in your negotiations, most firms will respect you for asking for what you’re worth.
Your UK paralegal career
The demand for paralegal services is on the rise in the UK. While entry-level positions pay well below the national average, these are really training grounds before you move into a higher-paying legal position. To recap, in 2026 we expect that senior paralegals will be able to demand salaries as high as £45,000 per year.
Improve your salary potential by registering as a CILEX Chartered Paralegal to demonstrate to employers your qualifications and experience. Also, use this guide to understand reasonable salary expectations for different roles and negotiate for the salary you deserve. It’s an area with plenty of opportunity, so good luck out there!
FAQs
Are paralegal salaries different for entry-level and experienced paralegals?
Yes, because the law is an area where experience matters, and the more cases you work on, the more valuable knowledge you bring to future cases. Check out the figures in our guide above.
Can specialising in a particular area of law impact my salary?
Absolutely. Complex contract law, such as entertainment and IP, can offer good salaries as businesses often rely on experienced paralegals to draw up and review contracts, rather than solicitors. Immigration law is another high-paying area, as paralegals are needed to help make services more affordable. Areas such as criminal law and family law tend to pay less, as in these areas, solicitors are still the primary service providers.
Is a paralegal basically a lawyer?
Not really—while paralegals and lawyers are both legal professions, they’re not the same. While a lawyer or solicitor is legally licensed to practice law, a paralegal isn’t. They must work under the supervision of a licensed solicitor, who’s ultimately responsible for their work. This is part of the reason paralegals will always earn less than solicitors.