You can pay-as-you-go by the hour or take out a contract. What you pay depends on what you need, the supplier, the number of computers you have, the level of support offered, your own capabilities and your location.

A sole trader is likely to charge upwards of £20 per hour and would expect to fix routine problems, but may not respond quickly. Larger companies may charge £40 and upwards per hour. They may have specialist knowledge, such as networks, but may charge more for those.

Many companies charge an annual fee for each computer they support (although you pay monthly or quarterly). Some offer regular housekeeping visits, or use remote monitoring to spot problems as soon as they happen. Expect to pay upwards of £50 per machine.

Volunteers. You may be able to get help for free but you need to manage the process very carefully to avoid problems. As with any volunteer consider using a job description or contract to be clear about what is offered.

www.ictknowledgebase.org.uk/whattoexpectfromsupport