SOC 9225 Elementary administration and service occupations

Refuse and salvage occupations Salary

Median salary £27,576 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £28,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For refuse and salvage occupations, £27,857 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -29% versus the national average. Experienced refuse and salvage occupations (top 25%) earn over £30,865.

About this role

Refuse and salvage occupations involve collecting household and commercial waste, recyclable materials and bulky items from premises and public areas for disposal, recycling or processing.

Key responsibilities

Collecting refuse bins, bags and recycling containers from properties
Loading waste onto collection vehicles
Sorting recyclable materials at kerbside or processing facilities
Maintaining cleanliness of collection vehicles and equipment
Following health and safety procedures for waste handling

Qualifications and entry routes

No formal qualifications are required. On-the-job training is provided. Manual handling, health and safety and vehicle marshalling training are standard.

Career outlook

Essential service with consistent demand. Recycling and circular economy targets are increasing the complexity and importance of waste collection roles.

Key skills

Physical fitness Teamwork Safety awareness Reliability Early morning working

Common industries

Local authority waste collection
Private waste contractors
Recycling companies
Skip hire operators
Street cleansing

Data coverage

SOC code 9225

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2015–2025

Estimated jobs 22,000

Median Salary

£27,576

Mean Salary

£27,939

Jobs (000s)

22k

Data Years

11 years

Salary Range (2025)

P25: £25,389Median: £27,576P75: £30,865

P10: £20kP25: £25kMedian: £28kP75: £31kP90: --

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£20,279

0-2 years

Mid Level

£25,389

3-7 years

Senior

£30,865

8-15 years

Potential career growth: +52% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2015-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +41.8%Real growth: +2.7%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 28.0%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£27,576

Full-time Only

£27,857

Full-time premium: +£281

Refuse and salvage occupations salary: common questions

How much do refuse and salvage occupations earn in the UK?

Refuse and salvage occupations earn a median of £27,857 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £25,389 and £30,865.

Is £27,857 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for refuse and salvage occupations?

Entry-level refuse and salvage occupations typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £25,389, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £20,279.

Have refuse and salvage occupations salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2015, median refuse and salvage occupations pay has risen from £19,619 to £27,857 — +42% in cash terms, or +3.0% after CPIH inflation. That is ahead of inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for refuse and salvage occupations?

Male refuse and salvage occupations earn a median £27,837 and female refuse and salvage occupations £20,049 — a gap of +28% in 2025.

Figures: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, gross annual pay. UK full-time median £39,039 (2025).