Counsellors roles in the UK earn a median of £31,500 per year, equivalent to £17.95 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 5.9% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £27,500 in South West to £34,500 in North West. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £31,124/yr (1% above our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£31,500
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£17.95
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+5.9%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£27,000 – £36,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Counsellors across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| North West | £34,500 |
| Scotland | £33,500 |
| South East | £32,000 |
| East | £32,000 |
| London | £31,500 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £30,000 |
| East Midlands | £29,500 |
| West Midlands | £29,500 |
| Wales | £29,500 |
| North East | £28,500 |
| South West | £27,500 |
| UK | £31,500 |
Annual pay grew by +5.9% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Counsellors.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Counsellors in the UK is £31,500 per year (about £17.95 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Counsellors earn between £27,000 and £36,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Counsellors pay rose by 5.9% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Counsellors is in North West, at £34,500 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Counsellors roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Counsellors provide counselling services to clients with a wide variety of problems by means of assisting them to reach their own resolutions to the difficulties they face. Counsellors may specialise in a particular area or client group or address a wide range of issues.
There are no formal qualifications requirements for entry but relevant experience is necessary. Many employers will expect entrants to have achieved or be working towards accreditation with a professional body via certification or a diploma in counselling. Background checks including a DBS check are likely to be required for counsellors working with vulnerable adults and/or families.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.