July 29, 2026
How much does a career coach cost in the UK?
Real price ranges for UK career coaching in 2026, what each tier includes, when it is worth paying and how to tell a good coach from an expensive one.
UK career coaching typically runs £75 to £250 per session, with packages between £400 and £2,000 and executive coaching well above that. CV only services are cheaper. A genuine free first consultation is standard, so use one before paying anything.
How much does a career coach cost in the UK?
Prices vary more in the UK than almost anywhere in Europe, largely because London pricing distorts the averages. Here is what the market actually looks like.
The ranges
£75 to £120 per session. Early career coaches, CV and LinkedIn focused work, regional pricing. Good value if your problem is specific and practical.
£120 to £250 per session. The core market for experienced coaches doing full career strategy, interview preparation and negotiation.
£400 to £2,000 per package. Three to eight sessions with materials, documents rewritten and support between sessions. This is where most serious career changes land.
£2,000 and up. Executive and leadership coaching, often board level, often paid by the employer.
£100 to £400 one off. CV rewrite or LinkedIn overhaul with no ongoing coaching.
What changes the price
Seniority. Coaching a director through a board move is a different job from coaching a graduate into a first role, and the price reflects it.
Whether documents are included. A rewritten CV and LinkedIn profile takes hours of work outside the session. Packages that include them cost more and usually save you money overall.
London versus the rest. Expect a 20 to 40 percent premium for London based coaches, even when the work is online.
Specialisation. Coaches who work with a specific niche, such as international candidates needing sponsorship, price higher because the advice is not generic.
When it is worth paying
It is worth it when the problem is strategy, positioning or confidence, and not qualifications. Concretely, when you are getting interviews but no offers, when you have strong experience but no interviews at all, when you are changing sector and your story does not connect, or when you are negotiating and have no idea what to ask for.
One successful salary negotiation usually covers a full package several times over. So does cutting three months off a job search.
It is not worth it when what you need is a licence, a certification or a portfolio. No coach substitutes for a missing credential, and a good one will tell you that in the first call.
How to judge a coach before paying
Take the free consultation seriously. A real one diagnoses what is going wrong and gives you two or three concrete fixes. If it is thirty minutes of sales, you have your answer.
Ask what they will not do. Honest coaches have limits. Anyone who promises a job is selling something else.
Ask about their market. If you need UK sponsorship, a coach who has never handled a Skilled Worker conversation will cost you time.
Ask for the shape of the work. Sessions, documents, and what happens between sessions. Vagueness here usually means vagueness later.
Is your employer paying?
Many UK employers fund coaching from learning and development budgets, and outplacement coaching is standard in redundancy packages. Ask before you pay yourself. It is one of the most common missed opportunities we see.
What we charge
We start with a genuinely free 30 minute consultation, and you see the plan before paying anything. If you want to test the value first without talking to anyone, run your CV through our free CV analysis or download the free UK templates.
For UK specific work, our career coaching UK page sets out what the sessions cover. If you are also dealing with visa questions, read the Skilled Worker visa guide first so the coaching time goes on strategy rather than basics.
Written by
Hugo Faria
I've worked with companies like LinkedIn, Indeed and global SaaS organizations, understanding how modern hiring, ATS systems and recruiter processes really work. I've helped 500+ professionals improve their CVs, LinkedIn profiles and job search strategies across Ireland, the UK and Europe. I combined that experience with AI to build something different: A system that doesn't just improve your CV, but gives you a clear strategy to land a job.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a career coach cost in the UK?
Most UK career coaches charge £75 to £250 per session. Packages of three to eight sessions typically run £400 to £2,000, and executive coaching goes considerably higher.
Is a career coach worth it in the UK?
It is worth it when the barrier is strategy, positioning or confidence rather than a missing qualification. A single successful salary negotiation often covers the cost of a full package.
Will my employer pay for career coaching?
Often yes. Many UK employers fund coaching through learning and development budgets, and outplacement coaching is common in redundancy packages. Ask before paying yourself.
How many sessions do I need?
Most people see meaningful change in three to six sessions: one on strategy, one or two on CV and LinkedIn, and one or two on interviews and negotiation.
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