Houseparents and residential wardens: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time houseparents and residential wardens in the UK earned a median £31,871 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 18% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
That puts it 246th of 382, in the middle third of occupations.
Median full-time pay: women £30,373 a year, men £31,935 a year.
About 73% of the roughly 15,000 employee jobs are full-time.
From £25,703 in 2021, the median is up 24.0%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 38,700 people in this line of work across the UK.
Pay distribution, 2025 provisional
| Gross pay | Full-time, annual | Full-time, weekly | Full-time, hourly | All, annual | All, weekly | All, hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | – | – | – | – | £301.50* | £12.60 |
| 20th percentile | – | £536.80 | £13.19 | £17,517* | £377.10* | £13.12 |
| 25th percentile | – | £582.10 | £13.95 | £19,065* | £463.60* | £13.28 |
| 30th percentile | £26,827* | £598.00 | £14.12 | £20,991* | £483.10 | £13.68 |
| 40th percentile | £29,198 | £636.30 | £14.52 | £23,578* | £535.80 | £14.21 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £31,871 | £671.30 | £15.69 | £26,499* | £607.70 | £15.11 |
| 60th percentile | £32,405 | £704.80 | £17.43 | £30,185* | £655.80 | £16.85 |
| 70th percentile | – | £743.40 | £18.23 | £32,218* | £698.40 | £17.93 |
| 75th percentile | – | £776.30 | £18.53 | – | £737.40 | £18.35 |
| 80th percentile | – | – | – | – | £763.90* | £18.77* |
| Mean | £30,946 | £680.10 | £16.37 | £26,522 | £586.60 | £16.19 |
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 | £25,703* | £527.50 | £13.42 | £23,000* | £476.90 | 11* |
| 2022 revised | £31,397* | £578.60 | £14.58 | £24,454* | £499.40* | 7* |
| 2023 revised | £30,261 | £609.40 | £14.75 | £28,559* | £581.10 | 6* |
| 2024 revised | £29,558* | £614.60 | £14.45 | £24,579* | £518.00 | 12* |
| 2025 provisional | £31,871 | £671.30 | £15.69 | £26,499* | £607.70 | 15* |
Houseparents and residential wardens by region
UK: 38,700 (± 7,600), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What houseparents and residential wardens do
Houseparents and residential wardens are responsible for the care and supervision of children, young people and the elderly within residential homes, schools or their own homes. An essential requirement of their work is that they reside with those for whom they are providing support. (ONS SOC 2020, 6134)
Also covers: foster carer, house matron, house parent, residential care officer, warden (care/residential home), accommodation warden, community assistant, foster mother, foster parent, home matron, hostel matron, hostel supervisor, house father, house master, house mother, housing warden, mobile warden and school matron (31 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Creates friendly, secure atmosphere and tries to gain the trust and confidence of those in the home or under supervision
- Plans and participates in games and leisure activities to encourage emotional, social, physical and intellectual development
- Ensures that all material needs of residents are provided and endeavours to resolve any problems that they may have
- Ensures that students attend school regularly
- Manage the household (domestic duties)
- May provide one-to-one counselling or group therapy
There are no formal academic entry requirements. In most cases workers will hold or be working towards the appropriate qualification for the job. Entrants must typically be 18 years old and have experience of working in a care environment. Both Off and on-the-job training is available. A wide range of qualifications including NVQs/SVQs covering various aspects of care are available. Background checks including an enhanced DBS check, CPR and first aid certifications are likely to be required.
Related
Caring personal services (median £28,513) · Dental nurses · Care workers and home carers · salary percentile · UK average weekly earnings growth · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026