How Much Does In-House Training Cost in the UK?

Published UK rates for in-house soft skills training run from around £1,000 to £3,000 a day, plus VAT, and we have seen quotes well above that. Same topic, same group size, and a threefold gap in price. This post explains why, what changes the cost, and how to compare quotes without losing your mind.

Prices in this post were checked in November 2026. They are before VAT unless we say otherwise.

So, how much does in-house training actually cost?

For a standard soft skills course (leadership, communication, customer service and similar), day rates tend to fall into three rough bands.

• Around £1,000 to £1,500 a day. Often independent trainers and smaller specialist providers, who carry less overhead.
• Around £1,500 to £2,500 a day. Typically established training companies, often with branded or accredited content.
• £2,500 to £3,000 or more a day. Larger brands, senior or specialist audiences, and quotes that bundle in materials, reporting or follow-up.

These bands are rough. They come from published UK rates and quotes we have seen, and a higher price does not guarantee a better day (or the other way round).

Most in-house quotes cover the whole group, so divide by the number of people. For a group of ten, a £1,500 day is £150 a head, a £2,000 day is £200 a head and a £3,000 day is £300 a head.

Why is there so much variation between providers?

Because “a day of training” is not one product. Behind the same headline price, providers are often selling quite different things.

• Overheads. A freelancer working from a spare room has a very different cost base from a company with staff, offices, insurance, account managers and a marketing budget. Neither is wrong, but both end up in the day rate.
• What the price includes. Some quotes include materials, post-course reporting and travel. Others add them afterwards. A lower day rate with extras can end up dearer than a higher all-inclusive one.
• Preparation time. A day of delivery rarely takes only a day. Tailoring, preparation, admin and follow-up all take time, and providers differ on how much of it they build in.
• Brand and positioning. Reputation, big-name clients and accreditation all carry a premium, whether or not they change what happens in the room.
• Who the client is. Some providers price differently for charities, the public sector and large corporates.
• Content and licences. Courses built on licensed models or psychometric tools often carry fees that have to be recovered somewhere.
• Demand. A fully booked provider can charge more than one with gaps in the diary. It is also why flexible dates can help.
• How the price is presented. Per day, per person or per programme. With VAT or without. “From” prices that move once the details are added. A few providers are VAT exempt, so the headline figures are not always comparable.

Some of the variation is genuine value, some is overhead, and some is simply what the market will bear. The trick is knowing which is which, and that starts with asking what is included.

What changes the price of an in-house course?

• Number of days. More days cost more in total, but the cost per day often falls, because preparation and travel are shared.
• Group size. In-house you pay for the group, so more people means a lower cost per head. Interactive skills courses usually work best with a dozen or fewer people, so there is a limit to how far this helps.
• Customisation. Delivering an existing course costs least. Adapting it to your examples and language costs a little more. Designing a course from scratch costs the most, because design takes real time.
• Location and travel. Your own premises are cheapest. A hired venue, trainer travel and overnight stays all add up. Online delivery removes most of it.
• Audience. Senior groups, sensitive topics and specialist subjects usually call for more preparation and a more experienced facilitator.
• Follow-up. Coaching, check-in sessions and measurement cost extra, and they are often what turns a good day into lasting change.
• Volume and timing. Booking several days together, or across a year, can bring the day rate down. Short notice can push it up.

What do we charge?

If we are asking you to compare quotes, it is only fair to show ours.

Our standard in-house day rate is £1,350 plus VAT. That is for the group, not per person, and our in-house quotes are all-inclusive.

Please treat that as an indication, not a quote. The price for your course will depend on the points in the section above: the number of days, the size of the group, how much we tailor the content, where it is delivered and who it is for, what follow-up you want, and how much notice we have. Any of those can move the price up or down, which is why we give a quote for each course.

With that in mind, here is how the day rate works out per person for a straightforward one-day course. It shows the arithmetic, nothing more:

• 6 people: £225 each
• 8 people: £169 each
• 10 people: £135 each
• 12 people: £113 each

On the same basis, a two-day programme for 12 people would be £2,700 plus VAT, which is £225 each for two days.

When an open course is the better buy. Our open courses cost £299 plus VAT per person in person, or £239 plus VAT live online. With four people, an open course (4 × £299 = £1,196) is cheaper than an in-house day. From five people, in-house is the cheaper route (six people if you are comparing with the live online price), and the gap grows with every extra person.

Booking for the year. If you know you will need training across the year, we offer contracted in-house rates. You agree a minimum number of days over 12 months, and the day rate comes down in return. We build the offer around how many days you expect, how many delegates, whether it is online or in person, and how much design work is involved. Bespoke course design is quoted separately.

Cancellations. Cancel booked in-house work with 15 days or more notice and there is no charge.

How to compare in-house quotes

Whoever you are talking to, ask these before you compare prices:

• What is included in the price: materials, travel, reporting, follow-up?
• Is the price per day, per person or per programme, and is VAT included?
• Who will deliver the training, and can we speak to them first?
• How much will be tailored to us, and how much is standard?
• How many people can attend, and what happens if the group is larger?
• What are the cancellation and rescheduling terms?
• What follow-up do you recommend, and what does it cost?

We have pulled the full list, plus a provider scorecard and a cost worksheet, into a free guide: How to Choose a Training Provider.

And if you would like a price for your own team, tell us the topic, the number of people and roughly when, and we will send you a clear quote.