Wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles: average pay and jobs in the UK
Full-time employees in wholesale and retail trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles earned a median £35,259 in the year to 5 April 2025 (ONS ASHE), £3,780 less than across all industries.
What the figures show
That is in the lowest third of 84 divisions.
85% of jobs are full-time.
Full-time medians: women £30,870, men £35,919.
The median rose 31.0% from £26,916 in 2021.
The Business Register and Employment Survey counts 586,000 people working in it in Great Britain in 2024, down 2% since 2019; 15% are in South East.
There were 96,075 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 | £24,088 | £492.50 | £12.22 | £14,833 | £304.20 | £12.21 |
| 20th percentile | £26,916 | £537.20 | £13.00 | £23,562 | £485.70 | £12.69 |
| 25th percentile | £28,205 | £555.80 | £13.41 | £25,253 | £508.00 | £13.08 |
| 30th percentile | £29,400 | £574.90 | £13.88 | £26,611 | £534.50 | £13.50 |
| 40th percentile | £32,150 | £620.40 | £14.98 | £29,483 | £574.90 | £14.46 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £35,259 | £670.80 | £16.00 | £32,757 | £629.00 | £15.65 |
| 60th percentile | £38,103 | £728.30 | £17.26 | £36,006 | £689.90 | £16.85 |
| 70th percentile | £42,227 | £800.20 | £19.03 | £39,894 | £763.10 | £18.53 |
| 75th percentile | £44,912 | £856.20 | £20.12 | £42,500 | £806.60 | £19.81 |
| 80th percentile | £48,001 | £921.20 | £21.44 | £45,698 | £871.00 | £21.08 |
| 90th percentile | £58,627 | £1,126.60 | £26.27 | £55,599 | £1,060.00 | £26.19 |
| Mean | £39,392 | £766.80 | £18.38 | £36,300 | £703.40 | £18.42 |
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 | £26,916 | £520.00 | £12.43 | £25,336 | £489.70 | 509 |
| 2022 revised | £29,416 | £562.70 | £13.43 | £27,425 | £528.90 | 485 |
| 2023 revised | £31,126 | £600.50 | £14.37 | £29,344 | £567.60 | 460 |
| 2024 revised | £33,703 | £651.30 | £15.44 | £31,783 | £617.60 | 454 |
| 2025 provisional | £35,259 | £670.80 | £16.00 | £32,757 | £629.00 | 454 |
Where the 586,000 jobs are, 2024
| Region or nation | Employees | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| South East | 86,000 | 90,000 |
| East of England | 66,000 | 69,000 |
| West Midlands | 66,000 | 68,000 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 58,000 | 61,000 |
| North West | 56,000 | 58,000 |
| South West | 51,000 | 55,000 |
| East Midlands | 48,000 | 51,000 |
| Scotland | 43,000 | 46,000 |
| London | 40,000 | 42,000 |
| Wales | 23,000 | 25,000 |
| North East | 20,000 | 21,000 |
| Great Britain | 556,000 | 586,000 |
96,075 business sites by size
| Staff | Sites, March 2026 |
|---|---|
| Micro (0 to 9) | 83,400 |
| Small (10 to 49) | 11,140 |
| Medium (50 to 249) | 1,490 |
| Large (250 or more) | 50 |
| Total | 96,075 |
2021: 89,755; 2022: 91,990; 2023: 91,905; 2024: 92,615; 2025: 94,125; 2026: 96,075.
Related
Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles · Wholesale trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles · Retail trade, except of motor vehicles and motorcycles · UK average weekly earnings growth
ASHE Table 16: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · notes · 15 October 2026