Personal Assistant / PA for a Private Household
A Personal Assistant within a private household plays a vital role in providing administrative and organisational support to individuals and families, managing both personal and professional affairs. As a trusted and integral part of the household, an exceptional PA brings discretion, organisation and a bespoke approach, helping clients navigate the demands of everyday life and allowing them to focus on what matters most.
At Cora, our experience spans PA appointments across the UK and internationally in France, Monaco, Spain, Switzerland, Italy, the US, Singapore, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. We have worked on a diverse range of roles, from Personal Assistants to Global PAs, Executive and Family Office PAs, PA/Chief of Staff and hybrid positions combining personal support, family assistance, household management, lifestyle and travel coordination.
“After five years at Cora, I’ve worked on a real variety of PA roles, both in the UK and internationally. Whether it’s a Private PA in Mayfair, a Global PA supporting a client across multiple countries, or a Family Office PA balancing personal and professional responsibilities, every position is different. I love getting to know each client’s needs and finding someone who’s the right fit.”
Kerri, Recruitment Consultant, Cora.
What does a Private PA do?
A Private PA manages the personal and practical sides of an individual’s life, so their time goes on what matters to them. In a high-net-worth private household, the responsibilities include:
- Scheduling and Calendar Management: Arranging appointments, meetings, and events for the household members.
- Travel Coordination: Planning and coordinating travel arrangements, including booking flights, accommodations, transportation, and creating itineraries.
- Correspondence and Communication: Handling emails, phone calls, and other forms of communication on behalf of the household members.
- Household Coordination: Assisting with various household tasks, such as managing household staff and overseeing maintenance and repairs.
- Event Planning: Organising and coordinating events, parties, and gatherings held within the household.
- Personal Finances and Admin: Assisting with financial tasks, including managing budgets, expenses, and invoices, and liaising with accountants.
- Personal Errands and Purchases: Running personal errands, such as shopping, picking up prescriptions, or making reservations.
- Confidentiality and Discretion: Handling sensitive information and maintaining strict confidentiality regarding the household’s affairs.
- Document Management: Organising and maintaining important documents, records, and files.
- Problem Solving: Addressing day-to-day challenges that arise within the household and finding solutions.
Our agency offers private household recruitment services including finding top-tier Personal Assistants who excel in managing complex schedules and providing high-level support.
What is the salary of a Personal Assistant in a Private Household?
In the UK, a Personal Assistant in a private household typically earns between £40,000 and £100,000 or more a year. The range is wide because the role often is, whether it’s a part-time PA handling one person’s diary or a Senior PA running a principal’s life across multiple residences and countries.
When deciding on an appropriate salary, several key factors are taken into consideration:
- Scope – supporting one principal or a whole family, and whether the position covers business aspects, as well as personal affairs
- Travel – roles that travel with the Principal, or are based abroad for periods of time
- Seniority – PAs who manage household staff, budgets or large projects
- Languages and international experience
- Hours and availability – out-of-hours cover and on-call expectations
Personal Assistant packages can also include a bonus, private healthcare, a pension and travel costs, plus accommodation for live-in or Travelling PA roles.
A Personal Assistant, Executive Assistant or Family Assistant?
The role of a Personal Assistant, Executive Assistant or Family Assistant can often merge, so it’s important to explain the difference.
A Personal Assistant supports an individual’s personal life: their diary, travel, household and private affairs.
An Executive Assistant supports a principal’s working life: business diaries, organising board meetings, investments and the professionals around them. In recent years, we’ve witnessed a surge from UHNW principals requesting highly experienced candidates who cover both.
A Family Assistant supports the whole family rather than one person, from school logistics and the children’s diaries to errands, events and household admin.
If you’re undecided on what your household needs, we’re very happy to discuss further.
How we recruit, how long it takes and what it costs
How we recruit a Personal Assistant / PA
- The brief – we start with how you actually work and what a typical day / week looks like – your diary, how you like to communicate, how much of your private life the role will involve, and what has or hasn’t worked with previous assistants before. With PAs, personal fit matters as much as skills, so this conversation is very important and shapes the rest of the recruitment process.
- The search – drawing on our extensive network, built over 15 years by Cora’s Founder, Izzy, alongside targeted searches, we approach experienced PAs, including exceptional candidates who may not be actively looking for a new role.
- The shortlist – clients will receive a candidate profile on each shortlisted candidate we’ve interviewed. Every candidate has undergone a DBS check, had written and verbal references taken, and had their right to work and address verified.
- Interviews – organised promptly around your diary; we can also include a practical exercise as an additional level of assessment, if you require.
- Offer – we handle the job offer and can help with contracts, and will stay in touch during the first few weeks and months, to ensure everything runs smoothly.
How long does it take to hire a PA?
Every search is different, depending on the requirements of the job position, the experience needed and the location, but it tends to be typically between 4-8 weeks.
Once we fully know the brief, we’ll guide you through the process and provide a realistic timeline. From the outset, we focus on finding the right individual for you. If you have a particular start date in mind, let us know and we’ll tailor our approach accordingly.
What does it cost to hire a PA through Cora?
We work with a wide range of clients, from principals who need a few days a week of support to families looking for a senior PA to travel with them. Fees are agreed with you in writing before the search begins, so you know exactly where you stand.
Looking to hire a PA? We’d love to understand your requirements and discuss how Cora can help.
FAQs Hiring a Personal Assistant
A Personal Assistant manages the personal and practical side of an individual’s life, including their diary, travel, household coordination, events, personal finances, admin and errands, all with complete discretion and confidence.
In the UK, a Personal Assistant in a private household typically earns between £40,000 and £100,000 or more a year. The range is wide because the role often is, whether it’s a part-time PA handling one person’s diary or a Senior PA running a principal’s life across multiple residences and countries.
A Personal Assistant supports an individual’s personal life: their diary, travel, household and private affairs. An Executive Assistant supports a principal’s working life: business diaries, organising board meetings, investments and the professionals around them.
Our fees are calculated as a proportion of the successful candidate’s annual salary and agreed with you in writing before the search begins, ensuring complete transparency from the outset.
Yes – we recruit Personal Assistants for principals and families across the UK and internationally, including travelling roles.
Yes – many principals require a few days of support rather than necessarily full-time. We work on both full-time and part-time positions.
Every search is different, depending on the requirements of the job position, the experience needed and the location, but it tends to be typically between 4–8 weeks.