Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles earned a median £29,509 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £9,530 less than across all industries.
What the figures show
That is in the lowest third of 84 divisions.
Part-time work is common: only 47% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £27,933, men £30,624.
The median rose 28.3% from £22,993 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 2,650,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, down 7% since 2019; 16% are in London.
There were 302,340 business sites in March 2026, nearly all (81%) 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 | £20,606 | £451.30 | £12.40 | £7,268 | £149.50 | £12.21 |
| 20th percentile | £23,465 | £485.10 | £12.81 | £10,788 | £214.20 | £12.30 |
| 25th percentile | £24,281 | £498.80 | £13.13 | £12,145 | £240.80 | £12.45 |
| 30th percentile | £25,219 | £516.10 | £13.42 | £13,465 | £265.90 | £12.51 |
| 40th percentile | £27,027 | £549.80 | £14.07 | £16,750 | £329.70 | £12.80 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £29,509 | £595.20 | £15.06 | £20,592 | £410.40 | £13.33 |
| 60th percentile | £32,618 | £651.60 | £16.42 | £24,147 | £485.80 | £13.94 |
| 70th percentile | £37,119 | £735.80 | £18.66 | £27,500 | £547.50 | £15.06 |
| 75th percentile | £40,258 | £796.20 | £20.20 | £29,913 | £592.80 | £15.99 |
| 80th percentile | £44,596 | £876.00 | £22.27 | £33,020 | £647.80 | £17.44 |
| 90th percentile | £58,346 | £1,149.90 | £29.48 | £44,860 | £862.40 | £23.35 |
| Mean | £36,030 | £723.10 | £18.75 | £24,588 | £480.00 | £17.01 |
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 | £22,993 | £467.50 | £11.75 | £15,869 | £315.60 | 2,195 |
| 2022 revised | £24,429 | £486.20 | £12.26 | £17,112 | £332.00 | 2,201 |
| 2023 revised | £26,000 | £533.10 | £13.36 | £18,049 | £370.70 | 2,068 |
| 2024 revised | £28,339 | £563.90 | £14.23 | £19,555 | £389.40 | 2,054 |
| 2025 provisional | £29,509 | £595.20 | £15.06 | £20,592 | £410.40 | 2,216 |
Where the 2,650,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| London | 407,000 | 416,000 |
| South East | 374,000 | 382,000 |
| North West | 312,000 | 320,000 |
| South West | 240,000 | 248,000 |
| East of England | 241,000 | 247,000 |
| West Midlands | 208,000 | 215,000 |
| Scotland | 208,000 | 214,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 200,000 | 206,000 |
| East Midlands | 173,000 | 177,000 |
| Wales | 116,000 | 120,000 |
| North East | 104,000 | 106,000 |
| Great Britain | 2,583,000 | 2,650,000 |
302,340 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 243,400 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 52,415 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 5,580 |
| Large (250 or more) | 940 |
| Total | 302,340 |
2021: 316,400; 2022: 317,005; 2023: 306,340; 2024: 302,600; 2025: 299,565; 2026: 302,340.
Related
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles · Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles · Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026