Cooks roles in the UK earn a median of £23,500 per year, equivalent to £13.48 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 7.2% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £18,000 in West Midlands to £27,500 in North West. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £24,228/yr (3% below our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£23,500
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£13.48
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+7.2%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£20,000 – £27,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Cooks across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| North West | £27,500 |
| South East | £25,000 |
| East | £24,000 |
| London | £24,000 |
| Scotland | £24,000 |
| North East | £23,500 |
| South West | £23,000 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £23,000 |
| East Midlands | £22,500 |
| Wales | £20,500 |
| West Midlands | £18,000 |
| UK | £23,500 |
Annual pay grew by +7.2% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Cooks.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Cooks in the UK is £23,500 per year (about £13.48 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Cooks earn between £20,000 and £27,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Cooks pay rose by 7.2% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Cooks is in North West, at £27,500 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Cooks roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Cooks prepare, season and cook food, often using pre-prepared ingredients, in clubs, private households, fast food outlets, shops selling food cooked on the premises and the catering departments and canteens of other establishments.
There are no formal academic requirements. Training is provided off and on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in Food Preparation and Cooking are available at levels 1, 2 and 3. Apprenticeships are also available.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.