Sales and retail assistants salary in the UK (2025/26)
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£14,491
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 29% of Sales work full-time
- 1.3% are self-employed
- 92% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Sales and retail assistants pay in the UK
The typical sales and retail assistants in the UK earns a median salary of £14,491 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of sales and retail assistants earnings fall between £9,734 and £21,774 a year. That is a wide range, a sign that pay climbs steeply with experience, specialism and employer, so the median is a starting point rather than a ceiling.
The mean (average) salary is higher, at £16,086. When the mean sits above the median like this, a smaller group of high earners is pulling the average up, which is why the median is the better guide to what a typical sales and retail assistants actually takes home.
Employment patterns shape these numbers too: Only 29% work full-time, so part-time and flexible roles are common in this field.
Where you work changes the picture: sales and retail assistants pay ranges from £13,717 in Scotland up to £15,417 in London, a difference of £1,700 (12%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see sales and retail assistants pay in London or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
London is the highest-paying region for sales and retail assistants at £15,417 — 6% above the UK median. Scotland is lowest at £13,717.
UK median £14,491
| Region | Median payUK median £14,491 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | £15,417 | £15,417 | £17,693 | +6% |
| South East | £15,246 | £15,246 | £16,464 | +5% |
| East of England | £15,065 | £15,065 | £16,248 | +4% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £14,657 | £14,657 | £16,064 | +1% |
| West Midlands | £14,582 | £14,582 | £16,072 | +1% |
| Wales | £14,568 | £14,568 | £16,046 | +1% |
| East Midlands | £14,531 | £14,531 | £15,886 | ±0% |
| North West | £14,443 | £14,443 | £15,870 | ±0% |
| South West | £14,278 | £14,278 | £15,930 | -1% |
| North East | £14,015 | £14,015 | £15,781 | -3% |
| Scotland | £13,717 | £13,717 | £15,554 | -5% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| London £15,417 | £15,417Mean £17,693 | +6% |
| South East £15,246 | £15,246Mean £16,464 | +5% |
| East of England £15,065 | £15,065Mean £16,248 | +4% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber £14,657 | £14,657Mean £16,064 | +1% |
| West Midlands £14,582 | £14,582Mean £16,072 | +1% |
| Wales £14,568 | £14,568Mean £16,046 | +1% |
| East Midlands £14,531 | £14,531Mean £15,886 | ±0% |
| North West £14,443 | £14,443Mean £15,870 | ±0% |
| South West £14,278 | £14,278Mean £15,930 | -1% |
| North East £14,015 | £14,015Mean £15,781 | -3% |
| Scotland £13,717 | £13,717Mean £15,554 | -5% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£14,491); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local sales and retail assistants pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow sales and retail assistants pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for sales and retail assistants by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
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