Vehicle valeters and cleaners: average salary and pay in the UK
Full-time vehicle valeters and cleaners in the UK earned a median £26,598 in the year to 5 April 2025, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE): 32% 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 (38th from the bottom).
The middle half of full-time jobs paid between £24,110 and £30,383.
Median full-time pay: women £30,670 a year, men £26,400 a year.
Paid hours are long: a full-time median of 40.8 a week including overtime, against 37.5 across all jobs.
About 71% of the roughly 17,000 employee jobs are full-time.
Since 2021 the median has risen 40.1% (from £18,983), faster than the 25.0% for all jobs.
The Annual Population Survey counts 16,900 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 | – | £429.00 | – | £11,570* | £195.40* | £12.17 |
| 20th percentile | £23,742 | £487.60 | £12.21 | £14,747* | £292.00* | – |
| 25th percentile | £24,110 | £488.60 | £12.23 | £16,170* | £314.80* | – |
| 30th percentile | £24,883 | £499.90 | £12.28 | £18,007* | £367.50* | £12.21 |
| 40th percentile | £25,755 | £520.10 | £12.59 | £22,962* | £467.50 | £12.23 |
| Median (50th percentile) | £26,598 | £537.70 | £12.80 | £24,875 | £492.10 | £12.52 |
| 60th percentile | £27,767 | £560.80 | £13.18 | £25,870 | £530.00 | £12.81 |
| 70th percentile | £29,217 | £586.80 | £13.52 | £27,494 | £554.00 | £13.19 |
| 75th percentile | £30,383* | £605.50 | £13.82 | £28,899 | £569.50 | £13.50 |
| 80th percentile | – | £625.50* | £14.03* | £29,914* | £593.60 | £13.81 |
| Mean | £27,385 | £557.50 | £13.37 | £23,246 | £458.10 | £13.22 |
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 | £18,983 | £393.50 | £9.24 | £18,124 | £356.40 | 14* |
| 2022 revised | £21,778 | £422.80 | £10.07 | £20,721 | £391.60 | 13* |
| 2023 revised | £23,191 | £457.70 | £10.91 | £21,639 | £423.70 | 18 |
| 2024 revised | £24,732 | £507.40 | £12.01 | £23,792 | £489.80 | 16 |
| 2025 provisional | £26,598 | £537.70 | £12.80 | £24,875 | £492.10 | 17 |
Vehicle valeters and cleaners by region
UK: 16,900 (± 5,000), April 2025 to March 2026.
Annual Population Survey (Nomis)
What vehicle valeters and cleaners do
Vehicle valeters and cleaners clean, wash and polish the interiors and exteriors of ships, aircraft, trains and road vehicles. (ONS SOC 2020, 9226)
Also covers: car washer, carriage cleaner, motor car polisher (garage), vehicle valeter, aircraft cleaner, aircraft groomer, boat cleaner, bus cleaner, cab cleaner, cab washer, car cleaner, car detailer, car valeter, cleaner (vehicles), coach cleaner, lorry washer, motor cleaner and ship's cleaner (31 titles in the ONS coding index).
- Vacuums, brushes and washes vehicle upholstery and interior surfaces
- Empties waste bins and removes rubbish
- Reports any damage or vandalism to the fabric of the vehicle interior
- Washes, cleans and polishes as appropriate the exterior surfaces of vehicles
No academic qualifications are required. On-the-job training may be provided. Vocational qualifications in relevant areas are available at levels 1 and 2.
Related
Elementary cleaning occupations (median £25,303) · Refuse and salvage occupations · Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers · salary percentile · Average weekly hours worked in the UK · Median
ASHE Table 14: 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 · coding index · notes · 15 October 2026