Early education and childcare assistants roles in the UK earn a median of £25,000 per year, equivalent to £14.00 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 6.3% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £20,000 in West Midlands to £28,500 in London. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £24,742/yr (1% above our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£25,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£14.00
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+6.3%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£21,500 – £29,000
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Early education and childcare assistants across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £28,500 |
| Scotland | £28,000 |
| East Midlands | £25,000 |
| South West | £25,000 |
| East | £24,500 |
| North West | £24,500 |
| South East | £23,500 |
| Wales | £23,500 |
| North East | £23,500 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £23,000 |
| West Midlands | £20,000 |
| UK | £25,000 |
Annual pay grew by +6.3% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Early education and childcare assistants.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Early education and childcare assistants in the UK is £25,000 per year (about £14.00 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Early education and childcare assistants earn between £21,500 and £29,000 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Early education and childcare assistants pay rose by 6.3% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Early education and childcare assistants is in London, at £28,500 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Early education and childcare assistants roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Early education and childcare assistants assist in the care of children from birth up to seven years of age in day or residential nurseries, children’s homes, maternity units and similar establishments.
Entry is most common with GCSEs/S grades followed by the award of a certificate from the Council for Awards in Children’s Care and Education. An NVQ/SVQ in Child Care and Education or equivalent qualification up to level 3 may be required to work in this role. A DBS check is mandatory.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.