Company secretaries ensure UK companies meet their statutory, governance and regulatory obligations under the Companies Act, working closely with the board of directors. The role has grown in importance with increasing corporate governance requirements, particularly for listed companies. Most professionals in this field hold or are working towards a CGI (Chartered Governance Institute, formerly ICSA) qualification. This guide sets out realistic UK pay ranges by seniority and shows estimated take-home after Income Tax and National Insurance for 2026/27.
| Level | Salary range | Take-home/yr | Take-home/mo | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assistant Company Secretary | GBP 30,000-40,000 | ~GBP 25,120-32,320 | ~GBP 2,093-2,693 | CGI qualification in progress; board pack support |
| Company Secretary | GBP 48,000-62,000 | ~GBP 38,080-46,517 | ~GBP 3,173-3,876 | Owns statutory filings, board governance for one entity |
| Senior / Group Company Secretary | GBP 75,000-95,000 | ~GBP 54,057-65,657 | ~GBP 4,505-5,471 | Multi-entity group governance, listed company experience |
| General Counsel & Company Secretary | GBP 110,000-150,000+ | ~GBP 72,357-96,000+ | ~GBP 6,030-8,000+ | Combined legal and governance leadership; FTSE remit |
Take-home estimates use 2026/27 England income tax and 8%/2% employee NI. Personal Allowance GBP 12,570. No pension salary sacrifice, bonus or student loan applied.
Employed company secretaries pay Income Tax and Class 1 employee National Insurance through PAYE. Some smaller companies use fractional/part-time company secretaries or outsourced governance services, which are typically structured as self-employed consultancy or via a professional services firm.
A Company Secretary on GBP 55,000 gross pays approximately GBP 9,432 Income Tax and GBP 3,111 NI, leaving a net of approximately GBP 42,457 per year -- around GBP 3,538 per month.
A Senior/Group Company Secretary on GBP 85,000 gross pays approximately GBP 21,432 Income Tax and GBP 3,711 NI, leaving a net of approximately GBP 59,857 per year -- around GBP 4,988 per month.
A General Counsel & Company Secretary on GBP 130,000 gross pays approximately GBP 44,703 Income Tax and GBP 4,611 NI, leaving a net of approximately GBP 80,686 per year -- around GBP 6,724 per month, having passed through the GBP 100,000-125,140 Personal Allowance taper.
Company secretary roles are common at listed companies and larger private businesses, which tend to offer above-minimum pension and benefits at senior levels.
Company secretary careers progress through CGI qualification levels, moving from single-entity governance support to group-wide or FTSE-listed responsibility.
