Sports activities and amusement and recreation activities: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in sports activities and amusement and recreation activities earned a median £31,785 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £7,254 less than across all industries.
What the figures show
That is in the lowest third of 84 divisions.
Part-time work is common: only 44% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £30,113, men £33,290.
The median rose 32.3% from £24,028 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 511,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, up 11% since 2019; 17% are in South East.
There were 46,590 business sites in March 2026, 145 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 | £21,762 | £462.70 | £12.40 | £2,058 | £42.10 | £10.57 |
| 20th percentile | £24,747 | £505.90 | £13.21 | £4,682 | £89.70 | £12.21 |
| 25th percentile | £26,148 | £527.00 | £13.69 | £6,928* | £115.60 | £12.39 |
| 30th percentile | £27,424 | £543.50 | £14.03 | £8,897 | £146.40 | £12.60 |
| 40th percentile | £29,822 | £583.10 | £15.06 | £13,921 | £227.70 | £13.42 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £31,785 | £627.90 | £16.29 | £19,883 | £341.60 | £14.12 |
| 60th percentile | £35,634 | £689.90 | £17.83 | £25,044 | £479.10 | £15.33 |
| 70th percentile | £41,082 | £814.50 | £21.13 | £29,854 | £564.80 | £17.01 |
| 75th percentile | £44,929 | £879.10 | £22.92 | £31,778 | £607.20 | £18.24 |
| 80th percentile | £50,111* | £965.00 | £25.75 | £35,650 | £666.80 | £20.03 |
| 90th percentile | – | – | – | – | £927.10* | £27.25* |
| Mean | £48,271 | £1,007.40 | £26.21 | £28,246 | £548.20 | £23.30 |
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 | £24,028 | £466.70 | £12.00 | £15,880 | £307.10 | 279 |
| 2022 revised | £26,334 | £505.90 | £13.17 | £18,857 | £319.60 | 328 |
| 2023 revised | £28,503* | £555.80 | £14.30 | £19,337* | £315.70 | 334 |
| 2024 revised | £30,499 | £603.60 | £15.39 | £20,142 | £348.80 | 383 |
| 2025 provisional | £31,785 | £627.90 | £16.29 | £19,883 | £341.60 | 362 |
Where the 511,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 80,000 | 85,000 |
| London | 73,000 | 74,000 |
| North West | 62,000 | 63,000 |
| East of England | 45,000 | 46,000 |
| Scotland | 44,000 | 44,000 |
| South West | 41,000 | 42,000 |
| East Midlands | 36,000 | 40,000 |
| West Midlands | 39,000 | 40,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 37,000 | 38,000 |
| Wales | 23,000 | 23,000 |
| North East | 15,000 | 15,000 |
| Great Britain | 495,000 | 511,000 |
46,590 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 35,910 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 8,570 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 1,965 |
| Large (250 or more) | 145 |
| Total | 46,590 |
2021: 41,030; 2022: 42,795; 2023: 43,395; 2024: 44,535; 2025: 45,435; 2026: 46,590.
Related
Arts, entertainment and recreation · Gambling and betting activities · Libraries, archives, museums and other cultural activities · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026