Kitchen and catering assistants roles in the UK earn a median of £23,000 per year, equivalent to £12.77 per hour as of 2025. Pay increased 5.2% compared to the previous year. Regionally, pay ranges from £19,000 in North East to £27,000 in London. Pay has risen over the past 5 years. The ONS national median for this occupation is £22,886/yr (0% above our computed national average).
Median Annual Pay
£23,000
as of 2025
High confidenceMedian Hourly Pay
£12.77
per hour
Year-on-Year Change
+5.2%
vs 2024
Annual Pay Range
£18,500 – £26,500
25th – 75th percentile
There is currently not sufficient data available for this occupation to say anything about the labour market.
Median annual pay for Kitchen and catering assistants across UK regions.
Source: ONS ASHE. Based on broad UK regions (NUTS1).
| Region | Median Pay |
|---|---|
| London | £27,000 |
| Scotland | £24,000 |
| South East | £23,500 |
| West Midlands | £23,000 |
| Wales | £22,500 |
| South West | £22,500 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | £21,500 |
| East Midlands | £21,500 |
| North West | £21,500 |
| East | £21,000 |
| North East | £19,000 |
| UK | £23,000 |
Annual pay grew by +5.2% from 2024 to 2025.
National average (NUTS1 actuals) based on ONS ASHE April snapshot.
Annual percentage change in median pay for Kitchen and catering assistants.
Percentage change from the prior year's April figure.
The median salary for a Kitchen and catering assistants in the UK is £23,000 per year (about £12.77 per hour), based on official ONS data for 2025.
Most Kitchen and catering assistants earn between £18,500 and £26,500 a year (the 25th to 75th percentile of UK pay).
Kitchen and catering assistants pay rose by 5.2% from 2024 to 2025.
The highest median pay for Kitchen and catering assistants is in London, at £27,000 per year.
For job seekers
Check your salary against official UK data for Kitchen and catering assistants roles — broken down by region and seniority level. Free, instant, no sign-up required.
For employers & recruiters
Kitchen and catering assistants assist in the preparation and service of food and beverages in restaurants, cafés and other eating establishments, and perform various cleaning, fetching and carrying tasks.
There are no formal academic entry requirements. Training is typically received on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in relevant areas are available at levels 1 and 2.
Salary data is sourced from official UK pay datasets and updated periodically.