Employee earnings in Northern Ireland

Employee Earnings in Northern Ireland

Key Points

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees (“weekly earnings”) in April 2025 were £713, an increase of 7.4% from £664 in 2024. This is the second largest annual increase on record and the fifth consecutive annual increase.
In the UK, weekly earnings were £767 in April 2025, an increase of 5.3% from 2024 (£728). This is the third largest annual increase on record and follows the second largest increase of 6.0% in 2024.
In real terms (that is, adjusted for inflation) weekly earnings in NI increased by 3.1% over the year to April 2025. This is the second consecutive increase in real earnings, following two consecutive annual decreases in 2022 (3.7%) and 2023 (0.7%). For the UK as a whole, real weekly earnings also increased (1.1%) over the year.
Of the 12 UK regions, NI experienced the largest increase in weekly earnings over the year, and is now the fifth lowest earning region, with London (£958) highest and the North East (£681) lowest.
Over the past year, many large public sector organisations have agreed backdated multi-year pay settlements, leading to a significant 9.3% rise in public sector earnings in 2025 following two years of zero growth. Private sector earnings rose by 5.4%, continuing the strong upward trend seen since 2021.
Approximately 3.4% of all jobs in NI were classed as ‘low-paid’. Although this was a record low in NI, it was the second highest proportion of the 12 UK regions.
The proportion of jobs paid below the National Living Wage (NLW) or National Minimum Wage (NMW) fell to 0.9% in 2025. This is slightly lower than both the 2024 rate (1.6%) and the pre-COVID level in 2019 (1.1%). It remains significantly below the peaks seen in 2020 (11%) and 2021 (5.8%), when around 90% of those earning below the NLW/NMW were on furlough.
The gender pay gap for all employees (full-time and part-time combined) in NI was 7.2% in favour of males in 2025. This gap has decreased marginally from 7.9% in 2024. In comparison, females in the UK earned around 13% less than males on average in 2025. The gender pay gap has halved in both regions over the last two decades.
Median annual earnings for full-time employees in NI were £37,100 in 2025, almost £2,000 lower than the UK median of £39,000. The highest 10% of full-time earners in NI earned at least £67,500.

Commentary

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI rose by 7.4% over the past year, marking the fifth consecutive annual increase. Since 2021, earnings growth in NI has accelerated significantly. While the average annual increase between 2005 and 2020 was around 2%, this has nearly tripled to approximately 6% per year between 2021 and 2025. This trend broadly mirrors the pattern observed across the UK.

Real weekly earnings (that is, adjusted for inflation) in NI increased by 3.1% in 2025, up from a 0.9% rise in 2024. This follows declines of 0.7% in 2023 and 3.7% in 2022, the largest annual drop on record. After two years of growth, which have offset the previous two years of similar sized declines, real earnings are now close to their inflation adjusted 2021 level of £717.

After three consecutive years of decline, real earnings in the public sector increased by 4.9% in 2025, compared with a 1.2% rise in the private sector. This strong growth in public sector pay was driven in part by the implementation of multi-year pay settlements across several large public sector organisations. Despite this increase, public sector real earnings have only just returned to their 2019 level. In contrast, private sector real earnings have risen for five consecutive years and are now nearly 9% above their 2019 level.

The proportion of low-paid jobs in NI fell for the fifth consecutive year, reaching a record low of 3.4%. This downward trend has largely continued since the introduction of the National Living Wage in 2016. However, despite this progress, NI had the second highest proportion of low-paid jobs among all UK regions in 2025, exceeded only by the North East (3.7%).

In 2025, the gender pay gap in NI stood at 7.2% in favour of men when considering all employees, regardless of working pattern, meaning that for every £1 earned by men, women earned 93p. Among full-time employees, the gender pay gap also favoured men for the second consecutive year, rising slightly to 1.1% from 0.7% in 2024. In contrast, the gender pay gap among part-time workers continued to favour women, at -5.0%.

1. Overview of earnings

The headline measure of earnings from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees. This is referred to throughout the report as “weekly earnings”. The mean is not used to summarise earnings as it is susceptible to small numbers of very high earners. A visual explanation of this is available on the NISRA website. Throughout the publication the terms ‘median’ and ‘on average’ are used interchangeably. All ASHE data relate to a pay period that includes a reference date in April of the specified year.

1.1 Median weekly earnings in NI and the UK

Gross weekly pay includes basic pay, overtime pay, commissions, shift premium pay, bonus or incentive pay and allowances, and is before deductions for PAYE, National Insurance, pension schemes, student loan repayments and voluntary deductions.

Median measures the amount earned by the average individual, i.e. the level of earnings at which half the population are above and half the population are below.

Full-time employee is defined as anyone aged 16 years or over that is directly paid from a business’s payroll for carrying out more than 30 paid hours per week (or 25 or more for the teaching professions).

Key findings

Weekly earnings in NI increased by £49 (7.4%) over the year to £713, which is the fifth consecutive annual increase.
UK weekly earnings increased by £38 (5.3%) to £767, which is the third largest annual increase on record and follows the second largest increase on record (6.0%) in 2024.

Figure 1: Since 2021, earnings have been growing at the fastest rate in 20 years

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI and the UK, April 2005 to April 2025

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

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Over the past 20 years in NI, average weekly earnings for full-time employees have risen by approximately £16 per year or 3.2%. Since 2021, annual increases have consistently exceeded this average. The largest increase occurred in 2021, with earnings rising by 8.7%, although this followed a decline in 2020 when many employees were placed on furlough. Most recently, earnings rose by 7.4% in 2025, another above average increase.

Weekly earnings increased in all 12 UK regions over the year. The increase of 7.4% in NI was the highest increase of all the regions. Weekly earnings in NI are now the fifth lowest of all the UK regions. NI weekly earnings were £713, 7.0% below UK earnings (£767) in 2025.

1.2 Real and nominal earnings comparison

Nominal earnings are the actual earnings received by employees each year, and do not take into account the effects of inflation.

Real earnings are earnings with the effects of inflation removed. This provides a comparison of the amount of goods and services that can be bought over time (also known as purchasing power). Real earnings are calculated by adjusting historic earnings data using the Consumer Price Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH).

Key findings

Real earnings rose by £21 (3.1%) over the year to 2025, while nominal earnings increased by 7.4% over the same period.
This is the second consecutive annual increase in real earnings, following two consecutive annual decreases in 2022 (3.7%) and 2023 (0.7%).
Real earnings in NI are now £29 (4.3%) above pre-COVID levels (2019), while nominal earnings have risen by one-third.

Figure 2: Real earnings increased by £21 over the year in NI

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI in nominal and real (2025) terms, April 2005 to April 2025

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

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Although nominal weekly earnings in NI have generally risen each year since 2005 (except in 2007, 2014, and 2020), real earnings have shown a different trend. In 2025, nominal earnings stood at £713, up £328 from £385 in 2005. However, when adjusted for inflation, real earnings increased by just £43 over the same period, rising from £671 to £713.

In the most recent year, real weekly earnings in NI rose by approximately £21 (3.1%), following a smaller £6 (0.9%) increase in 2024. These gains come after two consecutive declines, a £5 (0.7%) drop in 2023 and a £25 (3.7%) fall in 2022, the largest real-terms decrease on record. By comparison, real earnings across the UK grew by 1.1% over the past year, following a 2.9% rise in 2024, the strongest increase in two decades.

Looking at the broader picture since before the COVID-19 pandemic, real earnings in NI have increased by 4.3% (£29), outpacing the UK-wide growth of 2.4% (£18) over the same six-year period.

Figure 3: Increases in real earnings over the year indicate pay rises greater than inflation

Annual change in median gross weekly earnings for employees in NI in nominal and real (2025) terms by working pattern, April 2025

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Nominal and real weekly earnings have increased over the year for full-time, part-time and all employees (full-time and part-time combined). Part-time employees saw the largest increase in nominal earnings (9.4%), and therefore the largest increase (5.0%) in real earnings, whereas full-time employees saw a 7.4% nominal and 3.1% real earnings increase.

Changes for all employees regardless of working pattern were smaller. Nominal earnings increased by 5.8% over the year and, when adjusting for the effects of inflation, real earnings saw an increase of 1.6%.

1.3 Real earnings by gender

Key findings

Part-time females had the largest annual increase (11%) in their nominal earnings, which equated to an increase of 6.7% in real terms over the year to 2025.
Part-time males had the smallest increase (3.4%) in nominal earnings and were the only group to experience a decrease (0.7%) in real terms over the year to 2025.

Figure 4: Real earnings decreased over the year for part-time males

Annual change in median gross weekly earnings for employees in NI in nominal and real (2025) terms by work pattern and gender, April 2025

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Although nominal earnings rose for both male and female employees, real-term changes varied by working pattern. Part-time male employees experienced a 0.7% decrease in real earnings. In contrast, both full-time males and full-time females saw identical real-term increases of 3.2% over the year.

Part-time female employees recorded the highest nominal earnings growth and also saw the largest real increase at 6.7% over the year.

1.4 Nominal earning comparison between public and private sector

Public sector: The NI public sector can be broken down into five areas: NI central government; Bodies under aegis of NI central government; UK central government employees based in Northern Ireland; Local government; Public corporations.

Private sector: The private sector encompasses all for-profit businesses (that are not owned or operated by the government). This does not include any non-profit body or mutual association.

Please note:

Please note over the past year, numerous large public sector organisations have implemented multi-year pay settlements, contributing to large increases in public sector earnings for 2025, following a period of prolonged wage restraint.

Results from HMRC Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) provide earnings on a monthly basis and have industry breakdowns, which show the effects of local pay awards.

Key findings

The public sector saw a pay increase of 9.3% after two years of zero growth.
Private sector earnings rose by 5.4%, continuing the strong upward trend seen since 2021.
Private sector pay since 2019 (before COVID) has increased by 39%, which is 11 percentage points more than the rise in public sector pay.

Figure 5: Public sector pay grows faster than public sector pay

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in the public and private sectors in NI and the UK, April 2005 to April 2025

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

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Over the past 20 years, weekly earnings in the public sector have been more closely aligned between NI and the UK than earnings in the private sector. Throughout this period, median public sector earnings in both regions have consistently been higher than those in the private sector.

In 2025, weekly earnings for private sector employees in NI increased by 5.4%, while public sector earnings rose by 9.3%. This reversed the trend of the previous four years during which the pay gap between the two sectors had been narrowing. Public sector earnings reached £801, which was 20% higher than the £666 in the private sector. Over the past two decades, on average, earnings in the public sector in NI were approximately 36% higher than those in the private sector. In the past three years, however, the average gap has narrowed to 20%.

Across the UK, public sector earnings in 2025 were £808, 7.4% higher than private sector earnings (£752). UK public sector employees have been paid on average around 14% more than their private sector counterparts over the last 20 years.

Some of the difference between earnings in the public and private sectors is due to differences in the composition of the respective workforces. The ‘NI ASHE public and private sector analysis’ document, found on the ASHE background information webpage, provides details on the composition of the two sectors.

Over the past two decades, public sector weekly earnings in NI and the UK have been broadly similar, with the highest earnings alternating between the two regions. However, earnings in NI have shown greater variability. For example, between 2021 and 2023, public sector earnings in NI were higher than those in the UK. This trend reversed in 2024, and for the past two years, weekly earnings have been higher in the UK. In 2025, public sector earnings in NI were £801, which was £7.20 lower than the UK average of £808. This gap reflects significantly higher increases in UK public sector earnings in 2023 and 2024. However, following the implementation of multi-year pay deals across the NI public sector, the gap has begun to narrow.

In contrast, private sector weekly earnings in NI were £86 (11%) lower than the UK average. Over the past three years, earnings in the NI private sector have increased at a similar rate to those in the UK, resulting in no change to the gap between the two.

1.5 Real earnings comparison between public and private sectors

Please note:

Please note, over the past year, numerous large public sector organisations have implemented multi-year pay settlements, contributing to large increases in public sector earnings for 2025, following a period of prolonged wage restraint.

Results from HMRC Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) provide earnings on a monthly basis and have industry breakdowns, which show the effects of local pay awards.

Key findings

Real earnings in the public sector rose by 4.9% in the year to 2025, outpacing the 1.2% increase seen in the private sector.
Compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, public sector real earnings are up just 0.1%, while private sector earnings have grown by 8.8%.
Since 2005, real earnings have increased by 13% in the private sector but have declined by 5.8% in the public sector.

Figure 6: Compared to six years ago, real earnings in NI are similar in the public sector but higher in the private sector

Annual index of real median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in the public and private sectors in NI, April 2019 to April 2025

Note: there were methodological changes during the series in 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

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Figure 6 shows real earnings in the public and private sectors over the past six years, indexed to 2019 to highlight the impact of COVID-19, the furlough scheme, and how current earnings compare to pre-pandemic levels. In 2020, real earnings in the private sector fell sharply due to furlough, while the public sector saw a slight increase. Both sectors experienced a notable rise in 2021. Since then, real earnings in the public sector declined for three consecutive years before rising in the latest year. In contrast, private sector earnings have increased for five straight years. Most recently, public sector real earnings rose by £38 (4.9%) over the year, compared to a £7.70 (1.2%) increase in the private sector. As of 2025, public sector real earnings were just 0.1% above 2019 levels, while private sector earnings were 8.8% higher.

Over the past two decades, real earnings in the public sector have generally been higher and more volatile than those in the private sector. While both sectors have experienced periods of growth and decline, the private sector has shown a clearer upward trend, particularly over the last ten years. In 2025, real earnings in the private sector were £75 (13%) higher than in 2005, whereas public sector earnings were £50 (5.8%) lower than they were twenty years earlier. Figure 6(i) provides the real earnings series from 2005 to 2025 for the public and private sectors.

1.6 Occupation

Occupation: Results are collated using the 2020 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC20).

Key findings

‘Managers, directors & senior officials’ saw the largest increase of 11% in weekly earnings over the year to 2025.
‘Sales & customer service occupations’ (3.3%) and ‘Process, plant & machine operatives’ (3.4%) saw the smallest increases.

Figure 7: Managers, directors & senior officials had the highest annual increases in weekly earnings in 2025

Annual change in median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI by occupation, April 2025

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Figure 7 presents the annual change in weekly earnings for the main SOC groups in NI in the year to 2025. The largest increase was recorded for ‘Managers, directors and senior officials’, whose earnings rose by 11%, followed by ‘Caring, leisure and other services’, with a 9.0% increase. ‘Managers, directors and senior officials’ also had the highest average weekly earnings in 2025 at £1,150. This was more than double the earnings of the lowest-paid group, ‘Sales and customer service occupations’, which averaged £502 per week.

1.7 Industry

Industry: Results are collated using the 2007 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC07).

Key findings

Over the year to 2025, earnings have increased in 15 out of 16 industries.
The largest annual increase in earnings was recorded in ‘Human health and social work’ (13%), followed by ‘Education’ (12%).
The only annual decrease in earnings was recorded in the ‘Real estate activities’ industry (0.2%).

Figure 8: Weekly earnings increased in 15 out of 16 industries from 2024 to 2025

Annual change in median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI by industry, April 2025

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The highest paid industry in 2025 was ‘Information and communication’, with weekly earnings of £857, an increase of £94 (12%) from 2024. The lowest paid industry was ‘Accommodation and food service’, which earned £515 per week on average, an increase of £5 (1.0%) over the year.

Annual increases were recorded in 15 of the 16 industries reported in 2025. The exception was ‘Real estate activities’, which recorded a decrease of 0.2% from £685 in 2024 to £684 in 2025. The largest annual increase was in ‘Human health & social work’, where weekly earnings increased by 13%, from £634 to £716.

1.8 Local Government District

Local Government District (LGD): Results are collated using the 2014 Local Government District classification (LGD14).

Key findings

In 2025, employees who worked in Belfast had the highest weekly earnings (£767) of the 11 LGDs in NI, while those working in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest (£615).
Employees who lived in Lisburn and Castlereagh had the highest weekly earnings (£778), while those who lived in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest (£649).

Map A: Employees who worked in Belfast had the highest earnings and those who worked in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees by work Local Government District, April 2025

Map showing median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in each LGD in NI. More detail on the trends is included in the text directly below the chart, and data can be downloaded using the button below.
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Additional maps and charts for the main ASHE measures are now available online on the ASHE dashboard.

When considering earnings by place of work, employees who work in Belfast continued to be the highest paid in 2025, with weekly earnings of £767. This was £30 higher than the next highest, Lisburn and Castlereagh (£737) and around £150 more than the weekly earnings for those working in Causeway Coast and Glens (£615), the lowest earning LGD. Over one-third of all full time employee jobs in NI are within the Belfast district.

Over the year, weekly earnings increased for full-time employees working in all 11 districts. The largest increase in earnings was in Fermanagh and Omagh (9.9%), followed closely by Causeway Coast and Glens (9.7%). Mid and East Antrim had the smallest increase (1.8%) and is now the second lowest paid district (£648).

Map B: Employees who lived in Lisburn and Castlereagh had the highest earnings and those who lived in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees by home Local Government District, April 2025

Map B shows the different earnings’ rankings when considering where employees live rather than where they work, giving an insight into commuting patterns. Those who lived in Lisburn and Castlereagh had the highest weekly earnings (£778), while those living in Belfast had the second highest (£727).

At the other end of the scale, employees who lived in the Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest weekly earnings (£649) of all 11 LGDs. Earnings continue to be lowest in this LGD regardless of whether they are based on work or home location.

1.9 Total paid hours

Total weekly paid hours worked is made up of paid basic hours and paid overtime hours. It is calculated using employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence. It includes people on paid leave, but excludes people on statutory sick and maternity pay.

Mean total weekly paid hours worked is the preferred measure of hours worked since it is more responsive to changes in hours across the whole population because of the clustering of hours worked.

Key findings

Mean weekly paid hours for all employees in NI (32.8 hours) was unchanged from last year and remains the lowest level since 2014 (32.7 hours).
Mean full-time weekly paid hours (38.9 hours) have not returned to pre-COVID levels (39.8 hours).

Figure 9: No notable change in the distribution of total paid hours worked over the year

Distribution of total weekly paid hours for all employees in NI, April 2025

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In 2025, over a third (38%) of NI employees worked between 37 and 40 hours per week, equivalent to a five-day ‘9 to 5’ working pattern. The two largest peaks occur at 37 hours and 40 hours for full-time employees. There is a lower, but still noticeable peak at 32 hours, which includes school teachers. The working patterns of part-time employees are more varied.

Compared with 2024, the proportion working under 30 hours per week remained unchanged at 27%, whilst the proportion working over 42 hours also remained unchanged at 10%.

All employees (full-time and part-time combined) in NI worked an average of 32.8 hours per week in 2025, which was unchanged over the year. The average number of paid hours worked by all employees in the UK in 2025 was the same as in NI (32.8 hours), a decrease of 0.3 hours from 33.1 hours in 2024.

Mean weekly paid hours worked by full-time employees in NI was unchanged over the year at 38.9 hours. This is 0.9 hours (2.3%) less than the average recorded before COVID (39.8 hours in 2019), but remains higher than the hours worked by full-time employees in the UK (38.5 hours) in 2025.

2. Low and high pay analysis

At £16.28, median hourly pay for all employees (full-time and part-time combined) in NI is the third lowest of all the UK regions and is £1.68 below the UK median (£17.96). This has been the broad trend since 2005, with median hourly pay in NI falling consistently below the majority of the other UK regions each year.

2.1 Distribution of hourly earnings

The National Living Wage (NLW) was introduced by the Government on 1 April 2016. It is currently set at £12.21 per hour for those aged 21 and over.

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) applies for those under the age of 21. It was introduced on 1 April 1999 and currently ranges between £7.55 and £10.00 per hour. Further details and a full breakdown of rates can be found in section 4.

Key findings

The peak in earnings around the NLW has not returned to pre-COVID heights and is 1.9pps below 2018.
The proportion of jobs below the NLW has decreased by 0.7pps to 0.9% in 2025.

Figure 10: The peak of the earnings distribution moves in line with the increases in the National Living Wage

Gross hourly earnings distribution for all employees in NI, April 2002 to April 2025

Note: Density shows the proportion of jobs within +/-20p of shown pay rates. Non-zero axis.

Figure 10 shows how the earnings distribution in NI has changed each year from 2002 to 2025. The shape of each chart is typical of a skewed earnings distribution with more jobs at the lower earnings end, tailing off towards higher earnings.

When tracking the change over the time, the peak of the chart, which shows the wage rate with the largest proportion of jobs, can be seen moving to the right each year in line with increases in the NMW/NLW.

The peak of the distribution has not only shifted, but its shape has also evolved over time. In 2002, 5% of jobs were paying within 20p of the NMW, a figure that rose to 12% by 2025. Starting in 2008, the peak became increasingly pronounced each year as earnings clustered around the NMW/NLW. The most significant compression occurred alongside the largest minimum wage increase—a 70p rise—introduced in 2016 with the NLW, which raised the rate for those aged 25 and older from £6.50 in April 2015 to £7.20 in April 2016. As a result, the proportion of jobs paying within 20p of the minimum wage grew from 9% in 2015 to 11% in 2016.

In 2019, there was a slight reversal in the trend of increasing wage compression, followed by a further decline in the peak around the NLW in 2020. The proportion of jobs paying within 20p of the NLW decreased by nearly a third over this two-year span, dropping from 14% in 2018 to 8.7% in 2020. In 2020, a small cluster of wages around 80% of the NLW became evident, with a similar, albeit less pronounced, cluster appearing in 2021. This reflects the situation of workers who were furloughed and received 80% of their pay during this time. The peak around the NLW has been growing again over the last few years, but it still remains 1.9pps below the level recorded in 2018.

Using a different derived hourly rate, which excludes overtime and shift premium payments and in line with ONS methodology, the proportion of jobs paid below the NMW and NLW decreased slightly to 0.9% in 2025. This remains around pre-COVID levels (1.1% in 2019), following increased levels in 2020 (11%) and 2021 (5.8%) when 90% of those earning less than the NMW/NLW were on furlough.

2.2 Low and High-paid jobs

The following Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definitions of low pay and high pay are used:

Low pay is defined as the value that is two-thirds of the UK median hourly earnings (e.g. £17.96 x 2/3 = £11.97 in 2025).
High pay is defined as the value that is 1.5 times the UK median hourly earnings (e.g. £17.96 x 1.5 = £26.94 in 2025).

Key findings

The proportion of low-paid jobs has dropped by 0.9pps over the year to a record low of 3.4% in 2025.
Low-paid jobs have fallen sharply since the introduction of the National Living Wage in 2016 (from 26% in 2016 to 3.4% in 2025).
2025 saw a higher proportion of high-paid jobs than low-paid jobs for the fourth consecutive year.

Figure 11: Proportion of low-paid jobs was the lowest on record in 2025

Proportion of low-paid, middle-paid and high-paid employee jobs in NI, April 2005 to April 2025

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details.

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The proportion of middle-paid jobs in NI remained fairly consistent (at just over 50%) between 2003 and 2016, when the National Living Wage was introduced. Since then, middle-paid jobs have steadily increased, driven primarily by the continuous drop in low-paid jobs. Estimates for 2025 showed that middle-paid jobs were 25pps higher than they were in 2016, whilst low-paid jobs were 23pps lower. The most recent annual change (a 0.9pps decrease) in low-paid jobs was the fifth consecutive decrease.

The proportion of high-paid jobs has stayed more consistent over the last 20 years at around one fifth of total jobs. The most recent annual increase (3.4pps), was the largest increase in the last two decades. This follows the largest drop (3.7pp) in 2024.

When considering the hourly earnings of all employees, the lowest earning 10% of workers (those at the 10th percentile) in the private sector (£12.21) earned the current National Living Wage rate. In contrast, those at the 10th percentile of the public sector (£13.42) earned more per hour than those at the 35th percentile of the private sector (£13.26). This highlights a significant pay advantage for lower earners in the public sector compared to their private sector counterparts.

2.3 Low and High-paid jobs by various characteristics

Full-time employee is defined as anyone aged 16 years or over that is directly paid from a business’s payroll for carrying out more than 30 paid hours per week (or 25 or more for the teaching professions).

Part-time employee is defined as anyone aged 16 years or over working 30 or less paid hours a week (or less than 25 for the teaching professions).

Industry: Results are collated using the 2007 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC07).

Occupation: Results are collated using the 2020 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC20).

Key findings

9.2% of part-time employee jobs were low-paid jobs in 2025.
Over a third (38%) of all 16 to 21 year olds had low-paid jobs.
The ‘Accommodation and food’ industry had the largest proportion of low-paid jobs (26%), while ‘Information and communication’ had the largest proportion of high-paid jobs (35%).
‘Elementary occupations’ (15%) had the highest proportion of low-paid jobs and almost no high-paid jobs.

Figure 12: Low-paid employees tend to be part-time, younger, in the hospitality industry or in sales or elementary occupations

Low-paid, middle-paid and high-paid employee jobs in NI by working pattern, age, industry and occupation, April 2025

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As previously shown in Figure 11, there are now more high-paid than low-paid jobs across all employees in NI. Figure 12 breaks this down by a number of characteristics. There is a clear indication of imbalance between those working full-time and those working part-time. There is a greater proportion of low-paid part-time jobs (9.2%), compared with low-paid full-time jobs (0.9%). By contrast, there is a lower proportion of high-paid part-time jobs (10%) compared with high-paid full-time jobs (20%).

A closer examination of the pay difference between part-time and full-time jobs shows that, not only are part-time jobs more likely in lower-paid occupation groups but, even within 8 of the 9 occupation groups, part-time workers’ hourly pay rates are, on average, lower than full-time hourly pay rates. Further information on the working pattern pay gap in NI is available in Section 3.6.

When considering the breakdown by age, those employees aged 16 to 21 were the worst off, with the largest proportions of low-paid jobs (38%) and smallest proportions of high-paid jobs (1.1%). The 40-49 age group saw the smallest proportion of low-paid jobs (0.2%), while the 50-59 age group had the largest proportion of high-paid jobs (26%).

Employee jobs in ‘Elementary occupations’ (15%) and ‘Sales and customer service’ (13%) were most likely to be low-paid, with less than 0.5% of high-paid jobs in each. These two occupational groups made up 70% of all low-paid jobs in NI in 2025.

In contrast, ‘Managers, directors and senior officials’ (54%) and ‘Professional occupations’ (43%) had the largest percentage of high-paid jobs, with less than 1% of low-paid jobs within each. These two sectors combined accounted for 89% of all high-paid jobs in NI.

Over a quarter of the jobs in the ’Accommodation and food service’ industry (26%) were low-paid, whilst no jobs in ‘Information and communication’, ‘Education’ and ‘Public administration & defence’ were low-paid. The ‘Information and communication’ industry had the highest proportion of high-paid jobs in 2025 (35%), followed by ‘Education’ (34%).

2.4 Low and High-paid jobs by UK Government Region

Key findings

In 2025, NI had the second highest proportion of low-paid jobs in the UK.
The NI ratio of low-paid to high-paid jobs was the second lowest of all the UK regions.
There were over 5 times more high-paid than low-paid jobs in NI in 2025.

Figure 13: NI had the second lowest ratio of high-paid to low-paid employee jobs across the UK regions

Ratio of high-paid to low-paid employee jobs by UK Government region, April 2025

Note: a ratio higher than 1 means there are more high-paid jobs and a ratio less than 1 means there are more low-paid jobs

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Although the proportion of low-paid jobs decreased over the year in NI (to 3.4%), this was the second highest proportion of low-paid jobs of all the UK regions. London (1.2%) had the lowest proportion of low-paid jobs.

Analysis of the ratios of high-paid to low-paid employee jobs in the different regions of the UK (Figure 13) shows that NI had the second lowest ratio of the 12 regions. NI had a ratio of approximately 5, meaning that the proportion of high-paid jobs was around 5 times higher than the proportion of low-paid jobs. In all regions of the UK, high-paid jobs exceeded low-paid jobs. London had the highest ratio, with nearly 35 times more high-paid than low-paid jobs, followed by Scotland (10 times). These two regions were above the UK average of 9.1.

3. Gender pay gap

Various methods can be used to measure the earnings of females relative to males. This section of the report leads with the Gender Pay Gap for all employees regardless of working pattern before disaggregating by sector, age of employee, occupation and working pattern.

The majority of the analysis is based on the median hourly earnings excluding overtime; including overtime can distort the picture as males work relatively more overtime than females, and using hourly earnings better accounts for the fact that males work, on average, more hours per week than females (see Figure 20).

It should be noted that, although median hourly pay excluding overtime provides a useful comparison of male and female earnings, it is a measure across all jobs and not a measure of the difference in pay between men and women doing the same job.

Gross hourly earnings (excluding overtime) includes basic pay, commissions, shift premium pay, bonus or incentive pay and allowances, and is before deductions for PAYE, National Insurance, pension schemes, student loan repayments and voluntary deductions.

Gender pay gap is calculated as the difference between the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of males and females, as a proportion of the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of males.

3.1 Gender Pay Gap in NI and the UK

Key findings

In 2025, considering all employees regardless of working pattern, females earned 7.2% less than males in NI i.e. for every £1 earned by men, women earned 93p.
In the UK, females earned 13% less than males when all employees are considered.

Figure 14: Gender pay gap for all employees has decreased over the last twenty years in both NI and the UK

Gender pay gap for all employees in NI and the UK, April 2005 to April 2025

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details.

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The gender pay gaps for all employees (regardless of working pattern) in both NI and the UK have consistently been in favour of males, however, the difference in male and female earnings in both regions has narrowed over the last two decades.

The results from the 2025 ASHE indicate that the gender pay gap for all employees in NI is 7.2% in favour of males, who earn £1.20 more per hour on average than females (£16.77 compared to £15.57 for females). This is similar to the gender pay gaps recorded from 2022 to 2024 (around 8%). Although it is much higher than the 4.7% and 5.9% recorded in 2021 and 2020 respectively, the gap remains smaller than all the rates prior to 2020. The lower gaps in 2020 and 2021 are a likely result of furlough.

In the UK, males (£19.17) also earned more on average than females (£16.71) in 2025. This equates to a UK gender pay gap of 13% in favour of males, more in line with the gap recorded in NI 20 years ago. Although NI has shown more variation in the gender pay gap over the last twenty years than the UK, both have seen a significant drop during this time, with current gender pay gaps around half of what they were in 2005.

The gender pay gap in the UK has always been larger than the NI one. It is the relatively lower pay of the private sector in NI and the notably smaller gender pay gap in the NI public sector (compared to those in NI and UK private sector, and UK public sector) that drives the difference between the NI and UK gender pay gap. This gap has generally been closing over the last four years, with the NI rate plateauing while the UK rate has continued to fall. The difference between the two rates at 2025 was 5.6pps.

3.2 Gender Pay Gap in the public and private sectors

Key findings

In 2025, considering all employees regardless of working pattern, females earned over £1.70 per hour less than males in the public sector.
In the private sector females earned almost £2.30 less than males when all employees were considered.
The average gender pay gap in the private sector has been around £2 for the past 20 years, whilst the average gap in the public sector is under £1.

Figure 15: Males have higher earnings in both the public and private sectors

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for all employees in NI by sector and gender, April 2005 to April 2025

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details.

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Overall, public sector employees earned more on average than private sector employees. Within this, males earned more on average in both the public and private sectors than females. This has been the broad trend since 2005. However, there was a notable closing of the gap between males and females in the public sector between 2010 and 2021, while male earnings have remained consistently higher than female earnings in the private sector. Over the last three years, the gap in public sector earnings has widened again to levels last seen in 2007.

In 2005, male earnings in the public sector were £2.34 per hour higher than female earnings. This gap has now reduced to £1.73. Although this is a notable drop in the difference between male and female earnings, the 2025 public sector gender pay gap is still nearly seven times the gap recorded before COVID (25p in 2019) and is the largest gap since 2007. In comparison, in the private sector, where average earnings are lower than in the public sector, males have consistently earned around £2 per hour more than females since 2005. This gap has widened slightly in the last two years and is currently £2.27.

3.3 Gender Pay Gap by age

Key findings

The gender pay gap is most pronounced for those aged 40 and over.
The 60+ age group had the largest gender pay gap in favour of males (11%).
The 18-21 age group had a gender pay gap in favour of females (-0.6%).

Figure 16: The largest gender pay gaps are in the 40+ age groups

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for all employees in NI by age and gender, April 2025

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In 2025, females earned less than males in five of the six age groups. The difference was smaller among those under 40, with gaps of less than £1 per hour, while the older age groups saw differences of around £2. In the 18 to 21 age group, females earned slightly more than males, by 7p per hour.

Earnings peaked for both males and females in the 40 to 49 age group. Males earned £19.70 per hour, compared to £17.51 for females. Although earnings declined for both groups in the older age ranges, the gender pay gap remained broadly consistent at around 11%.

3.4 Gender Pay Gap by occupation group

Occupation: Results are collated using the 2020 Standard Occupation Classification (SOC20).

Key findings

Males earned more than females in all nine occupational groups in 2025.
‘Managers, directors and senior officials’ had the largest gender pay gap of 14% in favour of males.
The smallest gender pay gaps were in ‘Administrative and secretarial occupations’ (1.1%) and ‘Sales & customer service occupations’ (1.2%).

Figure 17: Females earned less, on average, than males all nine occupation groups

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for all employees in NI by occupation and gender, April 2025

Note: non-zero axis.

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The gender pay gap is in favour of males when considering all employees. Disaggregating the data into occupation groups shows that this held in all of the nine occupation groups in 2025. The most recent data show that the largest gender pay gap was in ‘Managers, directors and senior officials’ (14%), where, on average, for every pound earned by males, females earned 86p (£28.81 compared to £24.68 per hour). Around 60% of employees within this occupation group were male.

The second largest gap between the average pay of male and females was recorded for ‘Skilled trades occupations’ (12%), where, on average, for every pound earned by males, females earned 88p (£16.50 compared to £14.51 per hour). Almost 90% of employees within this occupation group were male.

The two occupation groups with the narrowest gender pay gap in 2025 were ‘Administrative and secretarial occupations’ (1.1%) and ‘Sales and customer service occupations’ (1.2%). These two groups each recorded a small difference of around 15p per hour and the majority of employees in both were females.

3.5 Gender Pay Gap by working pattern

Key findings

In 2025, full-time earnings were higher for males, while part-time earnings were higher for females.
When full-time and part-time are combined males earned more than females.
This is due to the larger proportion of males working full-time (84%) than females (58%).

Figure 18: Part-time females earned more than part-time males

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for employees in NI by working pattern and gender, April 2025

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When hourly earnings for males and females are disaggregated by working pattern, it shows that part-time earnings for females (£13.56) were higher than part-time earnings for males (£12.92), however, for the second consecutive year, full-time earnings for females (£17.67) were lower than full-time earnings for males (£17.87).

When all employees (full and part-time combined) are considered, hourly earnings for males (£16.77) were £1.20 higher than for females (£15.57). These higher earnings for ‘all’ males are primarily due to a larger proportion of males (84% compared with 58% of females) in full-time work, which has higher hourly rates of pay on average than part-time employment (see Figure 18) and proportionately fewer low-paid jobs (see Figure 12). The difference in full-time and part-time earnings is discussed further in the next sub-section.

3.6 Working pattern pay gap

Working pattern pay gap is calculated as the difference between the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of full-time and part-time employees, as a proportion of the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of full-time employees.

Key findings

The working pattern pay gap in 2025 was 24% in favour of full-time workers.
The UK working pattern pay gap has been consistently higher than NI and was 28% in 2025.

Figure 19: The working pattern pay gap is generally lower in NI than in the UK

Working pattern pay gap for all employees in NI and the UK, April 2005 to April 2025

Chart

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

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When considering the difference between hourly pay (excluding overtime) of full-time and part-time employees over the last 20 years, full-time employees have earned between 23% (in 2008) and 33% (in 2015) more than part-time employees. The working pattern pay gap in 2025 was 24%, over 8pps lower than the peak in 2015 and almost 4pps below the 2025 UK rate (28%). Whilst the NI series has been more volatile than the UK equivalent, the past 10 years have seen more correlation between the two series, as well as a narrowing of the gap.

3.7 Hours worked by working pattern and gender

Total paid hours worked is made up of paid basic hours and paid overtime hours. It is calculated using employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence.

Key findings

In 2025, full-time males worked more hours than full-time females.
Part-time females worked more hours than part-time males.
Males worked more hours than females overall.

Figure 20: Males worked longer hours overall, but females worked longer part-time hours

Mean weekly paid hours worked by employees in NI by working pattern and gender, April 2025

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When calculating the gender pay gap using annual pay, the rate significantly increases for full-time employees (6.6% compared to 1.1% when calculated on hourly pay). The difference between the annual and hourly earnings pay gap measure can be attributed to males working more hours on average and receiving higher bonuses than females.

In 2025, males in full-time employment worked 2.2 more paid hours per week than females (39.9 hours compared with 37.7 hours), whilst for those in part-time employment, males worked 1.2 hours less than females (17.4 hours compared with 18.6 hours).

Overall, males (36.2 hours) worked 6.5 hours more than females (29.7 hours), and a greater proportion of males (84%) worked full-time compared with females (58%).

4. Further information

ASHE data
The headline tables and detailed outputs from the 2025 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, along with historical data, can be found on the NISRA website. Previous publications can also be found online.

Alternative sources of employee earnings information - HMRC PAYE
Monthly experimental statistics on payrolled employees and their earnings from HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) system are available on the NISRA and ONS websites. HMRC PAYE RTI is the system employers use to take Income Tax and National Insurance contributions before they pay wages to employees. Data relate to employees paid by employers only, and do not include self-employment income or income from pensions, property rental or investments. Data are based on where employees live and not the location of their place of work within the UK. Data are seasonally adjusted but not adjusted for inflation. The HMRC PAYE covers the whole population rather than a sample of employees or companies. The data are classed as Experimental Statistics as the methodologies used to produce the statistics are still in their development phase. As a result, the series are subject to revisions.

Estimates from ASHE remain the principal source of employee earnings information and are an Accredited Official Statistic. While estimates from PAYE provide a timelier indication of employee earnings trends, they are still in the development stage and are classed as Experimental Statistics.

PAYE does not differentiate based on full-time or part-time job status, and includes those whose work was affected by absence. It also measures pay per person, which can include pay from more than one job, while ASHE measures pay per job.

The most comparable statistic to median earnings from PAYE is ASHE data on median gross weekly earnings of all employees surveyed, including those who work part-time. A comparison of ASHE and PAYE data based on April data in both sources shows that PAYE is typically lower, though both show the same trend. The most likely reason for this is that ASHE excludes workers whose pay is affected by absence and those not on adult rates of pay, while PAYE includes these. Further details have been published by HMRC and ONS.

Methodology
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is a UK wide survey that provides a wide range of information on earnings and hours worked. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) carries out ASHE in Great Britain and it is carried out by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) in NI.

The survey information related to the pay-week (or other pay period if the employee was paid less frequently) which included 30th April 2025, the reference date for the latest survey. The results, therefore, are not necessarily representative of pay over a longer period. They do not take account of subsequent changes in rates of pay which have become effective since April or changes which have been introduced with retrospective effect since the survey returns were completed.

Over the pandemic period, earnings estimates were affected by changes in the composition of the workforce and the impact of the CJRS, making interpretation difficult. In particular, the 2020 and 2021 data are subject to more uncertainty and should be treated with caution. Furthermore, 2022 annual earnings, which relate to the 2021/22 financial year, were affected during the first six months of the year. Therefore, over these periods users are encouraged to focus on long-term trends rather than year on year changes.

Coverage and sampling
As in previous years, the sample used for the survey comprised approximately 1% of all employees in NI who were covered by PAYE schemes. Someone who is in more than one PAYE scheme may appear more than once. Information on earnings and hours is obtained in confidence from employers under the authority of The Statistics of Trade and Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 1988. Information collected is treated as strictly confidential and is used only for statistical purposes. The resulting analyses do not show information about identifiable people or private businesses.

The ASHE estimates are based on a sample and are therefore subject to an associated level of variability. The coefficient of variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate. The CV is the ratio of the standard error of an estimate to the estimate, expressed as a percentage. The smaller the CV, the higher the quality of the estimate. The CVs are published alongside the estimates, and CVs for the key ASHE estimates are shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Coefficient of variation (%) for key NI ASHE estimates, 2025

Pay Variable	Gender	Full-time	Part-time
Median gross weekly earnings	Males	1.7	6.2
	Females	1.9	3.2
	All	1.1	2.9
Median gross hourly earnings (excluding overtime)	Males	1.7	1.9
	Females	2.3	1.3
	All	1.4	0.5

Weighting
ASHE data are weighted to UK population totals from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) based on classes defined by region, occupation, age and sex. LFS data for 2021 and 2022 have been impacted by an issue with the occupation coding using SOC20, as set out in the latest update. Given the use of the 1-digit occupation in the weighting process, the ASHE estimates will be subject to further review, but the impact is likely to be minimal based on the initial analysis.

Rounding and revisions
Throughout this report, numbers less than 100 are rounded to two significant figures.

In line with normal practice, this release contains revised estimates from the 2024 survey results published on 29th October 2024. These results take account of some corrections to the original 2024 data that were identified during the validation of the results for 2025, as well as late returns. The 2025 results presented in this report are provisional and will be revised alongside next year’s results.

Methodology Changes 2004 to date
The ASHE bulletin presents the most recent data in the context of a 20-year time trend. As such, it is worth noting a number of methodological changes that have taken place since the survey was introduced, in particular in 2004, 2007 and 2012. For 2004 and 2006, two sets of results are available based on the existing and updated methodologies at the time. Users should note that data used in the report relate to the updated methodology and superseded data has not been included in the time series charts.

The impact of the changes increases as the size of the group being considered decreases. For example, conclusions can be drawn when considering broad time trends over the 20-year period, but caution should be taken when comparing across occupations and industries.

Table 2: Methodology changes to the ASHE Survey

Year	Change	Impact
2022	Change in occupation coding from SOC2010 to SOC 2020	Occupations are used to weight ASHE results. Estimates before 2021 not directly comparable with later estimates.
2013	Change in sample frame from PAYE to RTI PAYE	Small impact on coverage
2012	Change in occupation coding from SOC2000 to SOC 2010	Occupations are used to weight ASHE results. Estimates before 2011 not directly comparable with later estimates.
2009	Change in industry classification from SIC 2003 to SIC 2007	Industries not directly comparable.
2007	Sample design improvements	Results between 2004-2007 not directly comparable
2004	ASHE replaced the New Earnings Survey	Coverage improved

Mean, Median and Percentiles
The mean and the median measure different things and either can be appropriate depending on what the user is trying to measure. The mean measures the average amount earned by individuals, but in a skewed distribution such as earnings this measure is susceptible to small numbers of very high earners. The median measures the amount earned by the average individual, i.e. the level of earnings at which half the population are above and half the population are below. A visual explanation of this is available on the NISRA website. Please note that changes in median values for sub-sectors of the population are not necessarily additive at the population level.

A percentile is a statistical measure which shows the value below which a given percentage of observations fall, i.e. the 10th percentile is the value below which the lowest earning 10% of employees fall, and the 50th percentile (median) is the value below which 50% of employees fall.

National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW)
The NLW rate that applied in April 2025 was £12.21 per hour for employees aged 21 and over. The NMW rates that applied in April 2025 were £10.00 for employees aged 18 to 20 and £7.55 for employees aged under 18 and apprentices. The following table provides a breakdown of NLWs and NMWs since April 2008.

Table 3: National Living Wage, 2016 to 2025 and National Minimum Wage, 2008 to 2025

Year	21 and over		18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice
2025	12.21		10.00	7.55	7.55
2024	11.44		8.60	6.40	6.40
	23 and over	21 to 22	18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice
2023	10.42	10.18	7.49	5.28	5.28
2022	9.50	9.18	6.83	4.81	4.81
2021	8.91	8.36	6.56	4.62	4.30
	25 and over	21 to 24	18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice
2020	8.72	8.20	6.45	4.55	4.15
2019	8.21	7.70	6.15	4.35	3.90
2018	7.83	7.38	5.90	4.20	3.70
2017	7.50	7.05	5.60	4.05	3.50
2016 (Oct 16 to Mar 17)	7.20	6.95	5.55	4.00	3.40
2016 (Apr 16 to Sep 17)*	7.20	6.70	5.30	3.87	3.30
	21 and over		18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice
2015	6.70		5.30	3.87	3.30
2014	6.50		5.13	3.79	2.73
2013	6.31		5.03	3.72	2.68
2012	6.19		4.98	3.68	2.65
2011	6.08		4.98	3.68	2.60
2010	5.93		4.92	3.64	2.50
	22 and over		18 to 20	Under 18
2009	5.80		4.83	3.57
2008	5.73		4.77	3.53

*Introduction of National Living Wage for 25 and over

More information on the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates can be found on the Gov.uk website.

5. Accredited Official Statistics Status

Accredited Official Statistics status means that official statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value.

These official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) in September 2011 following a full assessment against the Code of Practice for Statistics. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and are therefore labelled as Accredited Official Statistics. Accredited Official Statistics are called National Statistics in the Statistics and Registration Service Act 2007. For further information, please refer to the Office for Statistics Regulation Accredited Official Statistics webpage.

OSR sets the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics that all producers of official statistics should adhere to. It is our responsibility to maintain compliance with these standards and our statistical practice is regulated by the OSR.

You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards using the details at the top of this publication.

Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.