Kitchen Assistant Salary in West Midlands
Official ONS earnings for West Midlands, covering 24,000 jobs.
Median salary — West Midlands
£12,557
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 10.8% change on the previous year
Mean
£14,285
Jobs measured
24,000
What a typical kitchen assistant takes home
On the median of £12,557, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£1,046
Take-home a year
£12,557
Income Tax
£0
National Insurance
£0
What most kitchen assistants actually earn
Half of kitchen assistants in West Midlands earn between £6,789 and £17,297. Earning above £17,297 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 “Other Elementary Services Occupations” group in West Midlands.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of kitchen assistants earn less than this.
How West Midlands ranks for kitchen assistant pay
3rd
of 3 GB regions with a published figure
West Midlands is the lowest-paying of the 3 regions ONS measures for this role, £375 behind South East on £12,932.
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
- Kitchen and catering assistants
- SOC 2020 code
- 9263
- 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.
Kitchen Assistant salary FAQs
What is the average Kitchen Assistant salary in West Midlands?
The median is £12,557 a year and the mean is £14,285, 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 kitchen assistant earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £13.02 excluding overtime, or £13.50 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 Kitchen Assistant salary?
Half of kitchen assistants earn between £6,789 and £17,297. Anything above £17,297 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a kitchen assistant?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of kitchen assistants earn under £2,919 and the lowest quarter under £6,789 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do kitchen assistants in West Midlands earn more than the UK average?
The median in West Midlands is £12,557 against £13,397 across the UK, 6.3% lower, which places it lowest of the 3 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has kitchen assistant pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +10.8% for this occupation in West Midlands. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many kitchen assistants are there in West Midlands?
ASHE counts around 24,000 employee jobs in “Kitchen and catering assistants” (SOC 9263) 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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