Average Salary in the UK (2026)

What is the average salary in the UK in 2026?

The average salary in the UK is best measured by the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). It reported median gross annual earnings of £37,430 for full-time employees in April 2024. The median is the middle salary: half of full-time workers earn more and half earn less.

Pay has kept rising since then. ONS monthly data showed regular pay growing roughly 4% to 6% a year through 2024 and 2025. Applying that growth gives an estimate of about £39,000 to £41,000 for 2026. Treat that as an estimate, and check the latest ASHE release on the ONS website for the published figure.

Different measures give different answers. The mean, which adds every salary and divides by the number of workers, is higher than the median because a small number of very high earners pull it up. Averages that include part-time workers are much lower. When comparing an offer, the full-time median is usually the fairest benchmark.

How does pay vary by region and job?

Location changes the picture more than almost anything else. ASHE consistently shows London with the highest median full-time pay, well above the UK figure, followed by the South East. The North East, Wales, Northern Ireland and parts of the Midlands sit below the national median.

Higher pay in London is largely absorbed by housing. A salary that feels comfortable in Manchester can be tight in London once rent is paid. Our guides to the cost of living in London and the cost of living in Manchester show how far a typical salary goes in each city.

By occupation, managers, directors and senior professionals earn the most, while caring, leisure, hospitality and elementary roles earn the least. Experience matters too: median pay typically rises through a worker's twenties and thirties before levelling off.

Is the average salary enough to live on?

For a single person outside London, a salary near the median is usually enough to rent a one-bedroom flat, cover bills and save. In London or for a family on one income, it is much tighter. The honest answer depends on rent, childcare and debt more than on the headline salary.

1. Start from monthly take-home pay, not your gross salary.
2. Keep rent under about a third of take-home where possible.
3. Set aside at least 10% to 20% for savings and your emergency fund.
4. Track spending for a month to see where the rest actually goes.
5. Review your budget whenever you get a raise. Our raise calculator shows what a pay rise adds after tax.

EMOH Pay is free on iPhone, Android and the web and works in pounds sterling. Bank sync is only available for Canadian banks, so UK users add transactions manually or from receipts. Budgets with overspend alerts and a daily money digest then show how your salary is being used. See our UK budgeting app page and the budgeting worldwide guide.