Manufacture of wearing apparel: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in manufacture of wearing apparel earned a median £26,896 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £12,143 less than across all industries.
What the figures show
No division has a lower full-time median.
67% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time weekly medians: women £526.10, men £599.00.
The median rose 31.3% from £20,482 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 20,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, down 23% since 2019; 30% are in East Midlands.
There were 3,320 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (87%) with fewer than 10 staff (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 | – | £440.50 | £12.22 | £11,354* | £219.40* | £12.21 |
| 20th percentile | £23,005 | £461.90 | £12.70 | £16,047* | £288.80* | £12.24 |
| 25th percentile | £23,272 | £491.10 | £12.74 | £17,882* | £329.40* | £12.50 |
| 30th percentile | £24,446 | £498.70 | £12.94 | £20,181* | £379.60* | £12.68 |
| 40th percentile | £25,896 | £524.90 | £13.35 | £22,686 | £456.20 | £12.97 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £26,896 | £545.90 | £13.89 | £24,677 | £498.10 | £13.41 |
| 60th percentile | £28,818* | £575.70 | £15.07* | £26,345 | £530.60 | £14.06 |
| 70th percentile | – | – | – | – | £565.50* | £15.34* |
| Mean | £33,417 | £670.00 | £17.74 | £28,028 | £553.00 | £17.19 |
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 | £20,482 | £412.70 | £10.92 | £17,535 | £347.70 | 14* |
| 2022 revised | £21,201* | £441.80 | £11.42 | £18,505* | £379.90* | 12* |
| 2023 revised | £22,994 | £457.30 | £12.03 | £19,105* | £409.30 | 14* |
| 2024 revised | £24,642 | £509.00 | £12.81 | £21,469 | £440.80* | 11* |
| 2025 provisional | £26,896 | £545.90 | £13.89 | £24,677 | £498.10 | 15* |
Where the 20,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| East Midlands | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| London | 3,500 | 3,500 |
| Scotland | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| East of England | 2,000 | 2,000 |
| North West | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| South West | 1,500 | 1,500 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 1,000 | 1,000 |
| West Midlands | 600 | 600 |
| Wales | 500 | 600 |
| South East | 300 | 450 |
| North East | 250 | 250 |
| Great Britain | 20,000 | 20,000 |
3,320 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 2,900 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 365 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 50 |
| Large (250 or more) | 5 |
| Total | 3,320 |
2021: 4,355; 2022: 4,370; 2023: 4,090; 2024: 3,825; 2025: 3,605; 2026: 3,320.
Related
Manufacturing · Manufacture of textiles · Manufacture of leather and related products · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026