Receptionist: salary in the UK
ONS occupation: Receptionists (SOC 4216)
About £22,143 a year after tax (England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2026/27)
median salary a year, full-time, +4.9% on last year
£2,155 a month About £1,845 a month after tax 72 thousand full-time jobs
Gross pay before tax, including bonuses, commission and overtime. Not included: benefits in kind such as a company car. About the data
Pay range
The dark part is the middle half of full-time employees (25% to 75%); the light bar runs from 10% to 90%. ONS doesn't publish the highest or lowest salary, and x means a figure wasn't published.
Pay by year
The median went from £18,853 in 2021 to £25,865 in 2026 (+37%); for all full-time employees in the UK it changed by +31% over the same years.
Figures by year
| P10 | P25 | Median | P75 | P90 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | £14,367 | £16,362 | £18,853 | £22,362 | £26,766 |
| 2022 | £15,304 | £17,454 | £20,082 | £23,272 | x |
| 2023 | £16,730 | £19,453 | £21,720 | £25,046 | x |
| 2024 | £17,856 | £20,869 | £23,633 | £27,451 | x |
| 2025 | £19,304 | £22,063 | £24,665 | £28,680 | £32,721 |
| 2026 | £20,484 | £23,229 | £25,865 | £30,077 | £34,625 |
ONS figures for each year, not adjusted for inflation. Years before 2021 used a different occupation classification, so they can't be compared. Earlier years are ONS's revised figures; the latest is provisional.
Half of full-time employees in this occupation earn less than £25,865 a year and half earn more. That is 37% less than the median for all full-time employees in the UK (£40,911).
The middle half earn between £23,229 and £30,077; the middle 80% between £20,484 and £34,625.
Ranked by median, it is number 347 of the 362 occupations with a published figure.
At the median salary, take-home pay after Income Tax and National Insurance is about £1,845 a month in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and £1,849 in Scotland.
The median for men is £26,915 and for women £25,760, a gap of 4% in men's favour. This compares full-time salaries only and doesn't account for seniority or hours.
Percentiles
| Percentile | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th (P10) | £20,484 | £1,707 |
| 20th | £22,498 | £1,875 |
| 25th (P25) | £23,229 | £1,936 |
| 30th | £24,083 | £2,007 |
| 40th | £25,002 | £2,083 |
| Median (50th) | £25,865 | £2,155 |
| 60th | £27,152 | £2,263 |
| 70th | £29,000 | £2,417 |
| 75th (P75) | £30,077 | £2,506 |
| 80th | £31,207 | £2,601 |
| 90th (P90) | £34,625 | £2,885 |
Men and women
| Median | Mean | Jobs (thousands) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | £26,915 | £28,234 | 13 |
| Women | £25,760 | £26,644 | 59 |
Take-home pay at the median
| Where you live | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| England, Wales, NI | £22,143 | £1,845 |
| Scotland | £22,182 | £1,849 |
After Income Tax and National Insurance for 2026 to 2027, with the standard tax code and no pension or student loan. Work out your own take-home pay · Take-home pay on £26,000
Job titles in this occupation
ONS codes these 26 job titles to SOC 4216 Receptionists. Pay figures are for the whole occupation, not for each title.
- A&E receptionist
- Dental receptionist
- Doctor's receptionist
- Front of house manager
- Guest service assistant
- Guest services assistant
- Guest services officer
- Hospital receptionist
- Hotel receptionist
- Legal receptionist
- Medical receptionist
- Optical receptionist
- Reception manager
- Reception officer
- Reception supervisor
- Receptionist
- Receptionist-administrator
- Receptionist-bookkeeper
- Receptionist-clerk
- Receptionist-secretary
- Receptionist-telephonist
- Receptionist-typist
- School receptionist
- Service adviser
- Surgery assistant
- Veterinary receptionist
Similar occupations
All jobs in Administrative and secretarial occupations
Source: ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2026 provisional, Table 14.7a (full-time employees, gross annual pay, UK, tax year ending 5 April 2026). Provisional figures may be revised.