Manufacture of paper and paper products: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in manufacture of paper and paper products earned a median £35,713 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £3,326 less than across all industries.
What the figures show
That is in the lowest third of 84 divisions.
96% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £30,824, men £38,218.
The median rose 10.0% from £32,459 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 49,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, down 8% since 2019; 16% are in North West.
There were 1,545 business sites in March 2026, 35 of them employing 250 or more (UK Business Counts).
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | £23,899 | £508.10 | £12.92 | £23,332 | £497.90 | £12.90 |
| 20th percentile | £26,756 | £560.20 | £14.12 | £26,477 | £543.50 | £14.06 |
| 25th percentile | £28,036 | £579.30 | £14.81 | £27,268 | £570.50 | £14.50 |
| 30th percentile | £29,380 | £607.40 | £15.50 | £28,736 | £595.90 | £15.32 |
| 40th percentile | £32,685 | £650.70 | £16.48 | £32,474 | £639.80 | £16.43 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £35,713 | £723.70 | £17.93 | £35,094 | £717.20 | £17.74 |
| 60th percentile | £39,656 | £808.00 | £20.61 | £39,397 | £807.80 | £20.53 |
| 70th percentile | £45,081 | £887.80 | £22.42 | £44,191 | £880.70 | £22.29 |
| 75th percentile | £50,198 | £938.10 | £23.25 | £49,791 | £919.90 | £23.06 |
| 80th percentile | £52,320* | £1,043.20* | £27.03* | £51,872* | £1,034.60* | £27.02* |
| Mean | £43,676 | £856.70 | £21.76 | £42,758 | £842.00 | £21.65 |
Pay since 2021
| ASHE year | Full-time, annual median | Full-time, weekly median | Full-time, hourly median | All, annual median | All, weekly median | Jobs (thousands, indicative) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 revised | £32,459 | £622.10 | £15.20 | £31,797 | £616.20 | 60 |
| 2022 revised | £32,180 | £626.90 | £15.35 | £31,903 | £613.50 | 61 |
| 2023 revised | £34,304 | £669.50 | £16.85 | £32,951 | £653.50 | 58 |
| 2024 revised | £35,385 | £694.80 | £17.04 | £34,584 | £691.30 | 45 |
| 2025 provisional | £35,713 | £723.70 | £17.93 | £35,094 | £717.20 | 47 |
Where the 49,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| North West | 8,000 | 8,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| East Midlands | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| East of England | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| South West | 5,000 | 5,000 |
| Wales | 4,000 | 4,000 |
| South East | 3,500 | 3,500 |
| Scotland | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| West Midlands | 2,500 | 2,500 |
| North East | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| London | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| Great Britain | 49,000 | 49,000 |
1,545 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 845 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 415 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 250 |
| Large (250 or more) | 35 |
| Total | 1,545 |
2021: 1,655; 2022: 1,645; 2023: 1,655; 2024: 1,620; 2025: 1,565; 2026: 1,545.
Related
Manufacturing · Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials · Printing and reproduction of recorded media · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026