Forklift Operator Salary in South West
Official ONS earnings for South West.
Median salary — South West
£40,846
gross, per year, all employees
Mean
£45,678
What a typical forklift operator takes home
On the median of £40,846, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£2,744
Take-home a year
£32,929
Income Tax
£5,655
National Insurance
£2,262
What most forklift operators actually earn
Half of forklift operators across the UK earn between £26,467 and £38,799. Earning above £38,799 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
This range is UK-wide — ONS publishes no regional breakdown of the spread for this occupation.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of forklift operators earn less than this.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Fork-lift truck drivers
- SOC 2020 code
- 8222
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 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.
Forklift Operator salary FAQs
What is the average Forklift Operator salary in South West?
The median is £40,846 a year and the mean is £45,678, 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 forklift operator earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £14.76 excluding overtime. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for South West.
What is a good Forklift Operator salary?
Half of forklift operators earn between £26,467 and £38,799. Anything above £38,799 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a forklift operator?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of forklift operators earn under £23,761 and the lowest quarter under £26,467 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do forklift operators in South West earn more than the UK average?
The median in South West is £40,846 against £31,016 across the UK, 31.7% higher.
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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