Care Worker Salary in West Midlands
Official ONS earnings for West Midlands, covering 60,000 jobs.
Median salary — West Midlands
£21,910
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 9.3% change on the previous year
Mean
£21,796
Jobs measured
60,000
What a typical care worker takes home
On the median of £21,910, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£1,608
Take-home a year
£19,295
Income Tax
£1,868
National Insurance
£747
What most care workers actually earn
Half of care workers in West Midlands earn between £15,125 and £29,667. Earning above £29,667 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Caring Personal Services” group in West Midlands.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of care workers earn less than this.
How West Midlands ranks for care worker pay
11th
of 11 GB regions with a published figure
West Midlands is the lowest-paying of the 11 regions ONS measures for this role, £3,291 behind Wales on £25,201.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Care workers and home carers
- SOC 2020 code
- 6135
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2026 provisional
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Care Worker salary FAQs
What is the average Care Worker salary in West Midlands?
The median is £21,910 a year and the mean is £21,796, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a care worker earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £14.04 excluding overtime, or £13.98 for full-time employees. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for West Midlands.
What is a good Care Worker salary?
Half of care workers earn between £15,125 and £29,667. Anything above £29,667 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a care worker?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of care workers earn under £7,802 and the lowest quarter under £15,125 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
How much do the highest-paid care workers earn?
The top 10% of care workers earn more than £35,517 a year, and the top quarter more than £29,667. ASHE does not publish figures above the 90th percentile.
Do care workers in West Midlands earn more than the UK average?
The median in West Midlands is £21,910 against £23,045 across the UK, 4.9% lower, which places it lowest of the 11 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has care worker pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +9.3% for this occupation in West Midlands. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many care workers are there in West Midlands?
ASHE counts around 60,000 employee jobs in “Care workers and home carers” (SOC 6135) in West Midlands. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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