Solicitors and lawyers roles in the UK earn a median of £55,000 per year, equivalent to £28.48 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 7.6% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £43,000 in North East to £78,000 in London. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £56,977/yr (3% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£55,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£28.48
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+7.6%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£37,500 – £75,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Solicitors and lawyers across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £78,000 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £60,000 |
| East | £58,000 |
| South West | £54,500 |
| Wales | £54,000 |
| South East | £53,500 |
| Scotland | £50,000 |
| North West | £49,000 |
| West Midlands | £48,000 |
| East Midlands | £46,000 |
| North East | £43,000 |
| UK | £55,000 |
Annual pay grew by +7.6% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Solicitors and lawyers.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Solicitors and lawyers in the UK is £55,000 per year (about £28.48 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Solicitors and lawyers earn between £37,500 and £75,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Solicitors and lawyers pay rose by 7.6% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Solicitors and lawyers is in London, at £78,000 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Solicitors and lawyers roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Solicitors advise and act on behalf of individuals, organisations, businesses and government departments in legal matters.
Entry to training usually requires a qualifying law degree or postgraduate diploma. Apprenticeships are also available. Graduates in subjects other than law must first take a one year conversion course. All entrants undertake a one year legal practice course, followed by a two year training contract. From 2021 Solicitors also need to pass the Solicitor's Qualifying Examination.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.