Chief executives and senior officials Pay Data UK — 2025

Chief executives and senior officials roles in the UK earn a median of £126,500 per year, equivalent to £50.39 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 45.8% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £86,500 in Wales to £156,500 in South East. Pay has risen over the past 4 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £99,944/yr (27% above our computed national average).

Labour Market

Employment figures from ONS Annual Population Survey (APS). Counts are estimates; suppressed cells (small samples) are excluded from totals.

Pay by Region

Annual pay for Chief executives and senior officials across UK regions. The bar shows the typical pay range (25th–75th percentile); the diamond marks the median.

Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).

How Pay Has Changed Over Time

Annual pay grew by +45.8% from 2024 to 2025.

National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot. Shaded band shows 25th–75th percentile range.

Year-on-Year Pay Change

Annual percentage change in median pay for Chief executives and senior officials.

Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.

About Chief executives and senior officials

Chief executives and senior officials head large enterprises and organisations. They plan, direct and co-ordinate, with directors and managers, the resources necessary for the various functions and specialist activities of these enterprises and organisations. The chief executives of hospitals will be classified in this unit group. Senior officials in national government direct the operations of government departments. Senior officials in local government participate in the implementation of local government policies and ensure that legal, statutory and other provisions concerning the running of a local authority are observed. Senior officials of special interest organisations ensure that legal, statutory and other regulations concerning the running of trade associations, employers’ associations, learned societies, trades unions, charitable organisations and similar bodies are observed. Chief executives and senior officials also act as representatives of the organisations concerned for the purposes of high-level consultation and negotiation.

Typical Tasks and Duties

• analyses economic, social, legal and other data, and plans, formulates and directs at strategic level the operation of a company or organisation
• consults with subordinates to formulate, implement and review company/organisation policy, authorises funding for policy implementation programmes and institutes reporting, auditing and control systems
• prepares, or arranges for the preparation of, reports, budgets, forecasts or other information
• plans and controls the allocation of resources and the selection of senior staff
• evaluates government/local authority departmental activities, discusses problems with government/local authority officials and administrators and formulates departmental policy
• negotiates and monitors contracted out services provided to the local authority by the private sector
• studies and acts upon any legislation that may affect the local authority
• stimulates public interest by providing publicity, giving lectures and interviews and organising appeals for a variety of causes
• directs or undertakes the preparation, publication and dissemination of reports and other information of interest to members and other interested parties

Entry Routes and Qualifications

Entry may be by appointment or internal promotion, as appropriate, and is usually based on relevant experience although candidates may also require academic or professional qualifications for some posts.

Related Occupations

Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.