Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility

Download the free salary guide now

Looking for our latest salary guides? Our 2024 guides are now available to download for free below:

Reed salary guide 2024

Entering 2023 the outlook looks uncertain, with the onset of a recession, the return of inflation, and interest rates that haven’t been seen in a decade. On top of this, the workforce in the UK has significantly shrunk with many over-50s leaving work, the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the knock-on effect of Brexit, and skills gaps across several sectors.

It’s more important than ever in the volatile, candidate-driven market we’re in, that you check your salaries and benchmark against your competition to ensure you can attract and retain the right professionals to your workforce.

Using data from 16 million jobs posted on Reed.co.uk, our 2023 UK salary guides are the ultimate UK salary checker. By using our guides to inform the average salary UK workers can expect, you’ll understand what jobs are worth across all regions of the UK, helping you to stand out when looking for new employees or searching for a new role.

Who are these salary guides designed for?

Whether you’re looking to find out the UK average salary, what your current salary should be, what the next step on the career ladder could see you earning, or whether you are paying your team enough for the work they do. Our salary guides allow you to compare UK salaries across all regions – from London salaries to wages in the Midlands and Northern Ireland. 

Are you an employer looking for benchmarking advice?

You can use our salary guides to compare salaries and benefits, allowing you to ensure your remuneration packages are up to date and on par with competitors. At a time when talent is tight, you must stay ahead of the game to appeal to those looking to jump ship. Failure to do so could leave job application numbers low and your competition thriving. 

Are you trying to find out what you should be earning?

Use our 2023 suite of salary guides to know your worth, help you decide on a new job you have been offered, or even plan for your next step on the career ladder – would you earn enough if you were to change sector? 

Cost of living: UK salaries vs inflation

OG image - James Reed

“At the end of 2022, official figures indicated that the UK's unemployment rate had edged up, while job vacancies remain near record levels. The cost of living continues to rise at its fastest rate in almost 40 years, partly due to the war in Ukraine, Covid and UK political turmoil, causing energy and food prices to continue to climb, leaving many people struggling.

“Official statistics show wages have risen across the board in the private sector – especially in roles where demand is high – but inflation is counteracting the impact of any increases. With the resurgence of industrial strike action likely to continue in 2023, wages have never been more in the spotlight in both the public and private sectors, and this is set to continue” - James Reed, Chairman and CEO, Reed.

What sectors do our salary guides cover? 

The Reed 2023 UK salary guides assess salaries and benefits across the following 14 sectors: 

  • Accountancy & finance 

  • Accountancy & finance practice 

  • Business support & administration 

  • Engineering & manufacturing 

  • Further education 

  • Hospitality & leisure 

  • Human resources 

  • Insurance & financial services 

  • Marketing & sales 

  • Procurement & supply chain 

  • Property & construction 

  • Qualified social workers 

  • Scientific 

  • Technology 

So, whether you’re looking to hire a chief information officer (CIO), chief financial officer (CFO), HR business partner, cleaner, or head of content marketing or if you’re trying to find out what you should be earning as a plumber, insurance advisor, or director of social care, you can use Reed’s guides for reassurance. 

Why download the Reed UK salary guides? 

They’re the most reliable salary guides in the UK, based on 16 million jobs posted on Reed.co.uk since 2014. We highlight the average UK salaries for roles across the 14 sectors listed above over the last three years, give you a projection for 2024, and compare average salary growth since 2014 – highlighting the onset of the pandemic. 

On top of this, our UK salary checker features insights from our specialism experts who give an overview of the sector on a national level, insights from practice experts, leadership experts and our regional directors. 

Using graphs and visuals we highlight some of the largest salary increases across each industry, as well as those roles in which salaries continue to climb year on year. 

With rich data at your fingertips, you can ensure you are best informed to make the right choices.

How can the Reed salary guides help with my benefits/rewards benchmarking? 

We surveyed 5,000 UK workers to help further inform you. You can read the full highlight in our ‘Our survey says’ section of the guide. 

Key findings from our research include:

  • Over a quarter (26%) are unhappy with their current salary – seven per cent reporting to be very unhappy with it. When asked why they are unhappy, an alarming 61% of respondents said it was because their salary had not risen in line with the cost of living. 

  • 28% of those surveyed said they do not receive any benefits where they currently work.  

  • Of those who receive benefits, the top three benefits are flexi-time (23%), annual salary increment (19%), and a company pension that is higher than the required amount (18%). 

  • When looking for a new job, 43% would find an annual salary increment to be one of the most attractive benefits followed by a four-day working week (36%), flexi-time (36%), and a performance bonus (28%). 

To help you make an informed choice on all things UK salary and benefits, download our most up-to-date 2024 UK salary guides.