How do salaries differ across UK regions? Full breakdown of median earnings in every region — and the factors that drive the gaps.
The UK has one of the most pronounced regional wage disparities of any advanced economy. Understanding where your region stands — and why — is the first step to knowing whether your salary is truly competitive.
| Region | Median gross annual salary | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|
| London | £44,370 | +25% |
| South East | £37,850 | +7% |
| East of England | £36,400 | +3% |
| Scotland | £34,000 | -4% |
| South West | £33,200 | -6% |
| North West | £33,000 | -7% |
| West Midlands | £33,100 | -7% |
| East Midlands | £32,800 | -7% |
| Yorkshire & Humber | £32,500 | -8% |
| Wales | £31,200 | -12% |
| North East | £30,800 | -13% |
| Northern Ireland | £30,500 | -14% |
| UK median | £35,404 | – |
The regional pay gap is driven by several overlapping factors:
The gap has been slowly narrowing since 2020, partly because of the shift to remote work — which has allowed people in lower-cost regions to access London-level salaries. Cities like Manchester, Leeds, and Bristol have also seen above-median salary growth as professional sectors have expanded. But the structural gap remains large, and policy efforts to address it ("levelling up") have had limited impact to date on salary data.
Our salary checker benchmarks your pay against your specific region and role.
Check Your Salary →London has the highest median salary at £44,370 — 25% above the UK median of £35,404.
Northern Ireland has the lowest median salary at approximately £30,500, followed closely by the North East at £30,800.
London's concentration of high-paying sectors (finance, law, tech), its role as the national economic capital, and strong agglomeration effects all push salaries significantly above the national average. However, the cost of living premium largely offsets the salary premium.