Upholsterers: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time upholsterers in the UK earned a median £27,909 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 29% less than the £39,039 median for all full-time jobs.
What the figures show
It is in the lowest-paid third of the 382 occupations (62nd from the bottom).
A full-time median is published for men only; the sample of women is too small.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
From £22,688 in 2021, the median is up 23.0%, close to the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 12,800 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25th percentile | – | – | – | – | – | £12.94 |
| 30th percentile | – | £548.00 | £13.08 | – | £513.50* | £13.02 |
| 40th percentile | £26,450* | £564.40 | £13.65 | £25,408* | £548.30 | £13.53 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £27,909* | £588.60 | £14.18 | £26,966* | £569.40 | £14.12 |
| 60th percentile | £30,178* | £614.10* | £14.71 | £27,969* | £589.50* | £14.43* |
| Mean | £29,597 | £631.30 | £15.28 | £26,856 | £588.00 | £15.15 |
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 | £22,688* | £437.80* | £11.02 | £22,426* | £409.00* | – |
| 2022 revised | £22,766 | £482.50* | £12.32 | £21,082* | £443.70* | 7* |
| 2023 revised | £23,366* | £504.00 | £12.00 | £22,788* | £475.20 | – |
| 2024 revised | £24,455 | £512.70 | £13.40 | £24,135* | £484.30 | – |
| 2025 provisional | £27,909* | £588.60 | £14.18 | £26,966* | £569.40 | – |
Upholsterers by region
UK: 12,800 (± 4,400), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What upholsterers do
Upholsterers upholster vehicle, aircraft and other seating, fix trimmings to the interiors of vehicles and aircraft, upholster furniture such as chairs and sofas, and make mattresses, curtains and other soft furnishings. (ONS SOC 2020, 5411)
Also covers: curtain fitter, curtain maker, soft furnisher, trimmer (furniture mfr), upholsterer, bed maker, bench hand, car trimmer, carriage trimmer, case maker, coach trimmer, eiderdown maker, flock packer, hassock maker, leather trimmer, mattress stitcher, motor trimmer and pad maker (35 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Measures frame to be covered or examines drawings or other specifications and cuts material with shears, knife or scissors
- Tacks and staples or otherwise secures webbing to furniture frame
- Pads springs and secures padding by stitching, stapling, tacking, etc.
- Pins sections of coverings together, joins by sewing and inserts trims, braids and buttons as required and fits upholstery unit to frame
- Operates machine to compress padded spring assemblies and inserts them into mattress covers
- Encases bed springs and padding with selected covering material by hand or machine stitching and fits castors where required
There are no formal academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is provided Off and on-the-job. Relevant NVQs/ SVQs are available at level 2 and 3 and apprenticeships at level 2.
Related
Textiles and garments trades (median £26,868) · Footwear and leather working trades · Tailors and dressmakers · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026