Painters and decorators roles in the UK earn a median of £32,000 per year, equivalent to £16.03 per hour as of 2025. Pay decreased 0.3% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £28,000 in South West to £38,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £32,763/yr (2% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£32,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£16.03
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
-0.3%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£28,000 – £38,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Painters and decorators across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £38,500 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £34,000 |
| North East | £32,500 |
| South East | £32,000 |
| Scotland | £32,000 |
| East | £31,500 |
| West Midlands | £31,500 |
| North West | £31,500 |
| East Midlands | £31,000 |
| Wales | £29,000 |
| South West | £28,000 |
| UK | £32,000 |
Annual pay fell by -0.3% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Painters and decorators.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Painters and decorators in the UK is £32,000 per year (about £16.03 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Painters and decorators earn between £28,000 and £38,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Painters and decorators pay fell by -0.3% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Painters and decorators is in London, at £38,500 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Painters and decorators roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Those working in this unit group apply paint, varnish, wallpaper and other protective and decorative materials to interior and exterior walls and surfaces, paint designs on wood, glass, metal, plastics and other materials, and stain, wax and French polish wood surfaces by hand.
There are no formal academic entry requirements, though GCSEs/S grades are advantageous. Entry is typically through an approved apprenticeship programme or college course in conjunction with on-the-job training, leading to a NVQ/SVQ level 2/3 qualification, or through building up work experience supplemented with short courses.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.