UK Average Salary Statistics
Live UK average salary counter 2026. The median UK salary is approximately £35,464 per year — £685 per week. Watch total wages paid this year tick in real time from ONS earnings data.
About These Statistics
The median UK salary is approximately £35,464 per year (£685 per week) according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). The mean average salary is higher at approximately £42,000, pulled up by high earners. Total wages paid across the UK economy amount to approximately £1.1 trillion per year — the same figure as total tax receipts, illustrating the scale of the UK's wage-based economy.
Median earnings vary significantly by sector. Finance and technology workers earn the most, with median salaries of £50,000-£70,000 in many roles. Healthcare, education and public sector workers typically earn £30,000-£45,000. Hospitality, retail and care workers are at the lower end, frequently earning close to the National Living Wage of £11.44 per hour.
The gender pay gap remains significant. Women earn approximately 14.3% less than men on a median hourly basis — the equivalent of women working for free from mid-November each year. The gap is partly explained by occupational segregation, part-time working patterns and career breaks, but a residual unexplained gap persists even when these factors are accounted for.
Real wages — earnings adjusted for inflation — fell significantly during the 2021-2023 cost of living crisis. With inflation peaking at 11.1% in October 2022 while wage growth lagged, workers experienced the largest real-terms pay cut in decades. Real wages have since recovered, with nominal wage growth running at approximately 5-6% per year outpacing inflation.
Regional salary differences are stark. London and the South East have the highest median salaries at approximately £44,000-£48,000. Wales, the North East and Northern Ireland have the lowest at approximately £29,000-£31,000. The cost of living differences between regions mean that purchasing power varies considerably beyond the headline salary figures.
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Based on official UK government data
What is the average salary in the UK in 2026?
The median UK salary is approximately £35,464 per year (£685 per week) according to ONS ASHE data. The mean average salary is approximately £42,000. London and the South East have the highest median salaries at approximately £44,000-£48,000. Wales and the North East have the lowest at approximately £29,000-£31,000.
What is the minimum wage in the UK in 2026?
The UK National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £11.44 per hour as of April 2024. The National Minimum Wage for 18-20 year olds is £8.60 per hour, and for under-18s is £6.40 per hour. The apprentice rate is £6.40 per hour. These rates are set annually by the government based on recommendations from the Low Pay Commission.
Is UK salary keeping up with inflation?
After a period of significant real wage decline during the 2021-2023 cost of living crisis — when inflation peaked at 11.1% while wage growth lagged — real wages have recovered. Nominal wage growth of approximately 5-6% per year has outpaced inflation since 2023. However, many workers' cumulative purchasing power remains below pre-crisis levels.