How much does a Counsellors earn in the UK?
Official UK Average earnings data 2025
£27,082
Typical Annual pay range
Employment patterns
- 50% of Counsellors work full-time
- 43% are self-employed
- 95.1% of employees have permanent contracts
Understanding Counsellors pay in the UK
The typical counsellors in the UK earns a median salary of £27,082 in 2025/26. These figures come from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), so they reflect actual reported pay rather than self-reported estimates or job-advert ranges.
The middle half of counsellors earnings fall between £18,448 and £31,356 a year. That spread reflects the usual gap between newer entrants and more experienced counsellors.
Employment patterns shape these numbers too: Around 43% of Counsellors are self-employed, well above most occupations, so the employee pay above will not capture earnings for those working for themselves; only 50% work full-time, so part-time and flexible roles are common in this field.
Where you work changes the picture: counsellors pay ranges from £17,370 in East of England up to £29,117 in Yorkshire and the Humber, a difference of £11,747 (68%). The full regional breakdown is below.
Dig deeper: see counsellors pay in Yorkshire and the Humber or read how we source and check this data.
How pay varies by region
Yorkshire and the Humber is the highest-paying region for counsellors at £29,117 — 8% above the UK median. East of England is lowest at £17,370.
UK median £27,082
| Region | Median payUK median £27,082 | Median | Mean | vs UK median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £29,117 | £29,117 | £26,659 | +8% |
| North West | £28,179 | £28,179 | £28,335 | +4% |
| Wales | £26,601 | £26,601 | £25,039 | -2% |
| North East | £25,763 | £25,763 | £25,293 | -5% |
| Scotland | £23,567 | £23,567 | £24,039 | -13% |
| London | £23,554 | £23,554 | £25,090 | -13% |
| South West | £22,826 | £22,826 | £25,170 | -16% |
| East Midlands | £21,431 | £21,431 | £20,577 | -21% |
| West Midlands | £20,658 | £20,658 | £22,537 | -24% |
| South East | £19,727 | £19,727 | £19,528 | -27% |
| East of England | £17,370 | £17,370 | £18,545 | -36% |
| Region | Median | vs UK |
|---|---|---|
| Yorkshire and the Humber £29,117 | £29,117Mean £26,659 | +8% |
| North West £28,179 | £28,179Mean £28,335 | +4% |
| Wales £26,601 | £26,601Mean £25,039 | -2% |
| North East £25,763 | £25,763Mean £25,293 | -5% |
| Scotland £23,567 | £23,567Mean £24,039 | -13% |
| London £23,554 | £23,554Mean £25,090 | -13% |
| South West £22,826 | £22,826Mean £25,170 | -16% |
| East Midlands £21,431 | £21,431Mean £20,577 | -21% |
| West Midlands £20,658 | £20,658Mean £22,537 | -24% |
| South East £19,727 | £19,727Mean £19,528 | -27% |
| East of England £17,370 | £17,370Mean £18,545 | -36% |
Sorted highest median to lowest. The vertical line marks the UK median (£27,082); ‘Vs UK median’ compares each region’s median to it. Suppressed values mean ONS withheld this figure because the sample was too small to publish.
Make it local
Calculate take-home pay for your region
Choose a region above to see local counsellors pay and calculate your monthly take-home after tax on the local salary page.
Back to region listHow counsellors pay has changed over time
UK median annual pay for counsellors by year (ONS ASHE).
Median salary
▪ 25%–75% range
Pre-2021 figures mapped from SOC 2010 via ONS concordance table
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a counsellor earn in the UK?
- The median annual salary for a counsellor in the UK is £27,082, according to ONS ASHE 2025 data. Most counsellors earn between £18,448 and £31,356 per year.
- What is the median counsellor salary?
- The median counsellor salary in the UK is £27,082 per year (ONS ASHE 2025). Half of all counsellors earn more than this figure, and half earn less.
- How much do senior counsellors earn?
- The top 25% of counsellors in the UK earn more than £31,356 per year (75th percentile, ONS ASHE 2025). The bottom quarter earn up to £18,448 annually.
- Which UK region pays counsellors the most?
- Yorkshire and the Humber has the highest median counsellor salary at £29,117 per year, according to ONS ASHE 2025 data.
- How has counsellor pay changed in recent years?
- Median counsellor pay rose from £24,034 in 2024 to £27,082 in 2025 — a 12.7% increase (ONS ASHE 2025).
- What is the average counsellor salary in the UK?
- The mean (average) counsellor salary in the UK is £26,450 per year. The mean is lower than the median of £27,082 because low earners skew the average (ONS ASHE 2025).
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