We don't pay our staff peanuts!
- Chris Jones
- Sep 15
- 2 min read
Event staff rates in the UK in 2025 range from £12.50 to £21.63 per hour depending on the role, location, experience, and event type, with the national average for general event staff hovering around £13 to £16 per hour.
Venues and clients should budget higher for London and premium roles, and rates increase for short-notice shifts or specialist skills.
Typical Event Staff Rates 2025
General Event Staff: £12.50–£16 per hour is the standard band, covering meet-and-greet, set-up, registration, hospitality, and general support roles.
Specialist Roles:
Brand Ambassadors: £14–£18 per hour
Trade Show Staff: £15–£20 per hour
Hospitality Staff: £14–£18 per hour
Leaflet Distributors: £13–£16 per hour
Promotional Models: £16–£25 per hour
Team Leaders/Supervisors: £18–£25+ per hour.
London and Regional Variation
London offers higher pay—average rates rise to £14.79 per hour or more to match increased cost of living and demand for skilled staff
Specialist event staff in the capital and affluent areas (e.g., Oxfordshire or major UK cities) often command the highest rates, while rural and smaller towns pay closer to the lower end of the scale.
Factors Affecting Event Staff Rates
Experience: More experienced or multilingual staff, and those with specialist knowledge (e.g., for luxury or technical events), command a premium.
Event Duration: All-day or multi-day events sometimes mean slightly lower hourly rates compared to short, high-intensity shifts.
Booking Terms: Last-minute, anti-social hours, or bookings on weekends and bank holidays may add £1–£4 per hour to the base rate.
Role Complexity: Team Leadership and supervision, technical, and client-facing roles are paid higher than generalist positions.
What’s Included in the Cost
When working with a reputable agency like Wave staffing, the hourly cost typically covers pre-event briefing and training, uniform coordination, payroll, insurance, and on-site supervision or staff replacement if needed. These add value and reduce risk for the event organiser.
The Outlook for 2025 and 2026
UK event staffing rates now safely exceed the increased minimum wage (£12.21 for age 21+), making the sector attractive to younger professionals but also contributing to rising event costs overall.
London and Oxfordshire remain particularly competitive markets for attracting and retaining experienced event staff
Event planners should budget carefully, communicate expectations clearly, and factor in the true value of staff for guest experience—especially as rates move upwards in line with market demand and compliance with new wage laws
To book event staff in Oxfordshire and the Cotswolds - Contact | Wave Staffing | Oxfordshire
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