Private tuition costs vary enormously in the UK — and most of the guides you'll find online give you ranges so wide they're almost useless. “£15 to £100 per hour” covers everything from an undergraduate helping a Year 7 student with fractions to an Oxbridge graduate preparing a student for medical school interviews. Here's a more useful breakdown.
What the average UK private tutor charges in 2026
The most common rate for a private tutor in the UK is £35–£55 per hour for GCSE-level work, and £45–£70 per hour for A-Level. Primary tutoring typically sits at £25–£45 per hour. These are mid-market rates for experienced tutors working online or in-person.
London rates are consistently 15–25% higher than the national average. A GCSE Maths tutor in London will typically charge £45–£70 per hour. The same tutor in Manchester or Leeds would more likely charge £35–£55.
Costs by subject
Not all subjects cost the same. Specialist subjects that require deep technical knowledge command higher rates:
- Maths (GCSE): £30–£55/hr
- Maths (A-Level / Further Maths): £45–£75/hr
- English (GCSE): £30–£50/hr
- Sciences — Chemistry, Physics, Biology (A-Level): £45–£70/hr
- 11 Plus preparation: £35–£65/hr
- Economics / Business Studies (A-Level): £45–£65/hr
- Modern languages — French, Spanish, German: £35–£60/hr
- Primary / KS2 (general): £25–£45/hr
Further Maths and university entrance preparation (UKCAT, BMAT, Oxbridge admissions) are at the top of the range — specialist tutors with relevant experience routinely charge £80–£120/hr for these.
Online vs in-person: does it affect the price?
Online tuition is typically 10–20% cheaper than in-person, because the tutor has no travel time or costs. For many families this is the better option anyway — the technology has improved dramatically and most tutors now work entirely online with no drop in effectiveness.
If you specifically want in-person tuition, expect to pay slightly more, and understand that your local pool of tutors will be smaller than if you search online. Many excellent tutors only work online because it lets them serve students across the UK.
How experience and qualifications affect the rate
A tutor's background has the biggest single effect on their rate:
- Undergraduate student tutors: £15–£25/hr. Lower rates, but less pedagogical experience.
- Recent graduates: £25–£40/hr. Good subject knowledge, building their tutoring practice.
- Experienced tutors (3–10 years): £35–£65/hr. The sweet spot for most families.
- Qualified teachers: £45–£80/hr. Deep understanding of exam specifications and how schools assess.
- Specialist / Oxbridge-trained: £60–£120/hr. Appropriate for highly competitive targets.
The most expensive tutor is not always the best fit for your child. A tutor with three years of GCSE Maths experience who genuinely knows the AQA specification inside out will often get better results than a high-charging generalist.
How much does tuition cost per month?
Most families book one session per week, usually an hour. At £40/hr, that is roughly £160–£175 per month (accounting for school holidays). Common arrangements:
- One hour per week at £35: ~£140/month
- One hour per week at £50: ~£200/month
- Twice weekly at £45: ~£360/month
- Intensive exam prep (10 hours): £350–£600 one-off
Some tutors offer block booking discounts — paying for ten sessions upfront might save you 10–15%. It's always worth asking.
Agency vs finding a tutor directly
Tutoring agencies charge a platform fee or commission that is usually passed on to you as a parent — sometimes as a “registration fee”, sometimes as a markup on the tutor's rate. The tutor you see listed at £50/hr might only receive £35–£40 of that.
Finding a tutor directly — through a directory where tutors set and keep their own rate — means you pay the tutor's actual rate. No agency cut, no markup. You can browse tutors on TutorLab for free and contact them directly.
Is private tuition worth the cost?
The honest answer: it depends on the tutor and how consistently you use them. Tuition that starts in September and runs through to May is dramatically more effective than a panic-booking three weeks before exams. The research on one-to-one instruction is strong — Bloom's 2-sigma study found one-to-one tutoring moved the average student to the 98th percentile compared to classroom peers — but that effect requires regular, sustained sessions, not a last-minute sprint.
For many families, the return on investment is clear: one grade boundary can change a university offer, a school choice, or a child's confidence in a subject for the next five years.
How to find a tutor at the right price
The best approach is to search by subject and location, read profiles carefully, and contact two or three tutors before committing. Most experienced tutors are happy to do a short introductory call before the first session.
You can browse verified UK tutors by subject and area — with their rates visible before you make contact — at tutorlab.uk/tutors. Popular searches: