Sales and retail assistants salary in London
Full-time average annual pay in London
£15,417
Based on ~97,000 employees · 2025 · moderate suppression
Median
£15,417
Mean
£17,693
| Statistic | Annual pay (gross) |
|---|---|
| Median | £15,417 |
| Mean | £17,693 |
Region-level range withheld by ONS — UK-wide, the middle half of sales and retail assistants earn £9,734–£21,774. See full methodology →
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 London
The typical sales and retail assistants in London earns a median salary of £15,417 in 2025/26, based on around 97,000 employees — 6.4% (£926) above the UK-wide median of £14,491. 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.
Across the UK, London ranks 1st of 11 regions for sales and retail assistants pay. Regional medians run from £13,717 in Scotland up to £15,417 in London, a spread of £1,700 (12%).
The mean (average) salary is higher, at £17,693. When the mean sits above the median like this, a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up, which is why the median is the better guide to what a typical sales and retail assistants in London actually earns.
To see what £15,417 means after income tax and National Insurance, use the take-home pay calculator below — it also factors in student loan repayments.
Take-home pay estimate
Tax year 2025/26| Monthly | Annual | |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £1,285 | £15,417 |
| Income tax | £47 | £569 |
| National Insurance | £19 | £228 |
| Take-home pay | £1,218 | £14,620 |
Estimate only · 2025/26 HMRC rates · Standard tax code · No pension contribution · Not financial or tax advice
How Sales and retail assistants 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 (current region) | £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 (current region) £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.
How sales and retail assistants pay in London has changed over time
Median annual pay for sales and retail assistants in London by year, shown against the UK-wide median (Source: ONS ASHE). The shaded band is the UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range — ONS does not publish percentile ranges at region level.
London median
UK median
▪ UK-wide 25th–75th percentile range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
How the figures are sourced
Data sources: Official UK earnings data (2025 provisional)(opens in new tab)
Related roles in Sales Assistants and Retail Cashiers
Other published roles in this occupation group. View category overview →