SOC 9252 Elementary administration and service occupations

Warehouse operatives Salary

Median salary £26,574 per year (2025). Based on ONS ASHE data.

Gross pay, before deductions. See take-home pay on £27,000 after tax and National Insurance →

For warehouse operatives, £27,832 is the typical (median) pay. That is well below the UK full-time median of £39,039 — -29% versus the national average. Experienced warehouse operatives (top 25%) earn over £31,876.

About this role

Warehouse operatives receive, store, pick, pack and dispatch goods in warehouse and distribution environments. They use manual handling techniques and equipment such as pallet trucks and fork-lift trucks to move stock efficiently and accurately.

Key responsibilities

Receiving, checking and storing incoming goods
Picking and packing orders accurately
Loading and unloading vehicles
Operating warehouse equipment (pallet trucks, FLTs)
Maintaining stock records and warehouse tidiness

Qualifications and entry routes

No formal qualifications are always required, though fork-lift truck (FLT) certification is valuable and often required. Manual handling training is standard.

Career outlook

Entry-level roles with opportunities for progression through experience, additional training and skills development. Apprenticeships offer structured routes into skilled occupations.

Key skills

Physical fitness Accuracy Forklift operation Team working Reliability

Common industries

Logistics and distribution
E-commerce
Retail
Manufacturing
Third-party logistics

Data coverage

SOC code 9252

Data source ONS ASHE

Years available 2021–2025

Estimated jobs 449,000

Median Salary

£26,574

Mean Salary

£26,197

Jobs (000s)

449k

Data Years

5 years

Salary Range (2025)

P10: £13kP25: £22kMedian: £27kP75: £32kP90: £38k

Estimated Career Progression

Based on salary percentile distribution for this occupation

Entry Level

£12,645

0-2 years

Mid Level

£21,841

3-7 years

Senior

£31,876

8-15 years

Leadership

£38,321

15+ years

Potential career growth: +203% from entry to leadership

Salary Trend (2021-2025)

Adjust for inflation

Nominal growth: +23.3%Real growth: -0.3%

Gender Pay Comparison (2025)

Gender pay gap: 10.9%

Full-time vs All Employees (2025)

All Employees

£26,574

Full-time Only

£27,832

Full-time premium: +£1,258

Warehouse operatives salary: common questions

How much do warehouse operatives earn in the UK?

Warehouse operatives earn a median of £27,832 a year (ONS ASHE 2025). The middle half earn between £21,841 and £31,876.

Is £27,832 a good salary in the UK?

What is the starting salary for warehouse operatives?

Entry-level warehouse operatives typically start near the lower end of the range. The bottom 25% earn up to £21,841, and the lowest-paid 10% earn under £12,645.

How much do the highest-paid warehouse operatives earn?

The best-paid 10% of warehouse operatives earn over £38,321 a year, and the top 25% over £31,876 (ONS ASHE 2025).

Have warehouse operatives salaries kept up with inflation?

Since 2021, median warehouse operatives pay has risen from £22,262 to £27,832 — +25% in cash terms, or +1.0% after CPIH inflation. That is roughly in line with inflation over the period.

Is there a gender pay gap for warehouse operatives?

Male warehouse operatives earn a median £27,309 and female warehouse operatives £24,335 — a gap of +11% in 2025.

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