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Average Financial Advisor Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A financial advisor in United Kingdom earns about 90,000 GBP a year. That's 29% above the national average of 69,700 GBP.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 45,100 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 139,100 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a financial advisor make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
90,000 GBP
7,500 GBP per month
Lowest reported
45,100 GBP
3,758 GBP per month
Highest reported
139,100 GBP
11,591 GBP per month

A typical financial advisor working in United Kingdom brings home around 7,500 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 45,100 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 139,100 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior financial advisor working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the financial advisor salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How financial advisor pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all financial advisors in United Kingdom earn less than 88,500 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 60,200 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 114,300 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of financial advisors sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 45,100 GBP. The highest stretch to 139,100 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

45,100
Low
88,500
Median
139,100
High
60,200
25th
114,300
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Financial advisor pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a financial advisor in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical financial advisor salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    52,600 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +27% from previous
    66,700 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +36% from previous
    90,600 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +26% from previous
    114,600 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +6% from previous
    121,800 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    130,500 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 36%. That is the point at which a financial advisor typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Financial advisor pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving financial advisor pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average financial advisor salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    51,500 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +13% from previous
    58,000 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +33% from previous
    77,300 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +51% from previous
    116,400 GBP
  • PhD
    +19% from previous
    138,700 GBP

Financial advisor gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male financial advisors in United Kingdom earn an average of 89,400 GBP a year, while female financial advisors earn around 86,600 GBP. That works out to a 3% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Financial Advisor gender pay gap

3%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 89,400 GBP
Women 86,600 GBP

Pay raises for a financial advisor in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 13% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 10% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Financial advisor bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

84%

84% of financial advisors in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a financial advisor a high-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary. The remaining 16% of financial advisors reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Financial advisor: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Financial advisor salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Financial advisor pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Glasgow
  • London
  • Birmingham
  • Bristol
  • Leeds
  • Liverpool
  • Kingston upon Hull
  • Manchester
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion177,200 GBP183,900 GBP86,800-280,400 GBP
ScotlandRegion128,200 GBP134,100 GBP58,600-200,600 GBP
GlasgowCity109,700 GBP100,700 GBP58,500-163,800 GBP
LondonCity108,200 GBP118,900 GBP51,300-176,300 GBP
BirminghamCity108,200 GBP118,900 GBP52,300-176,300 GBP
BristolCity107,300 GBP109,700 GBP53,600-165,900 GBP
LeedsCity105,200 GBP96,600 GBP57,800-158,900 GBP
LiverpoolCity103,600 GBP107,300 GBP48,000-160,700 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity102,700 GBP109,700 GBP49,400-161,300 GBP
ManchesterCity102,700 GBP97,400 GBP54,700-156,200 GBP
SomersetCity99,700 GBP105,200 GBP47,400-156,200 GBP
EdinburghCity99,700 GBP107,300 GBP47,600-158,900 GBP
BradfordCity99,700 GBP93,600 GBP54,600-152,900 GBP
WolverhamptonCity99,700 GBP109,000 GBP46,700-158,700 GBP
DerbyCity99,700 GBP105,200 GBP46,700-158,900 GBP
SheffieldCity99,700 GBP103,600 GBP49,400-157,600 GBP
CardiffCity98,000 GBP103,600 GBP45,800-153,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity97,600 GBP105,800 GBP46,000-157,600 GBP
NottinghamCity96,800 GBP102,700 GBP46,400-152,700 GBP
LeicesterCity96,000 GBP92,100 GBP49,100-146,900 GBP
CoventryCity95,400 GBP95,400 GBP50,000-151,800 GBP
OxfordCity95,400 GBP90,000 GBP50,600-147,900 GBP
PeterboroughCity95,300 GBP88,700 GBP49,400-142,300 GBP
DundeeCity95,300 GBP95,500 GBP44,500-147,900 GBP
NewportCity95,100 GBP102,700 GBP45,200-151,800 GBP
PlymouthCity95,100 GBP95,100 GBP45,900-146,700 GBP
BelfastCity95,000 GBP95,900 GBP48,600-150,100 GBP
BrightonCity95,000 GBP92,100 GBP47,100-146,700 GBP
YorkCity94,800 GBP89,300 GBP49,200-140,200 GBP
PortsmouthCity94,800 GBP100,700 GBP45,000-150,100 GBP
ArmaghCity94,800 GBP92,900 GBP49,400-142,300 GBP
ExeterCity94,500 GBP87,400 GBP50,700-142,300 GBP
NewryCity94,300 GBP90,000 GBP49,400-140,200 GBP
LincolnCity93,800 GBP93,800 GBP46,100-142,300 GBP
PooleCity93,800 GBP95,900 GBP43,100-148,300 GBP
NorwichCity93,200 GBP93,900 GBP46,200-142,300 GBP
NewcastleCity93,100 GBP91,500 GBP46,700-147,900 GBP
SwanseaCity92,200 GBP91,000 GBP48,600-142,100 GBP
AberdeenCity91,900 GBP87,900 GBP46,100-141,000 GBP
DerryCity91,200 GBP97,600 GBP41,500-142,300 GBP
StirlingCity91,000 GBP92,900 GBP43,400-142,100 GBP
GloucesterCity89,400 GBP90,000 GBP44,500-140,700 GBP
CambridgeCity88,400 GBP92,900 GBP40,700-140,700 GBP
CanterburyCity86,800 GBP80,400 GBP45,800-130,400 GBP
LisburnCity86,400 GBP79,600 GBP45,600-127,600 GBP
ChesterCity86,100 GBP84,500 GBP46,300-132,000 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion85,800 GBP79,600 GBP45,300-130,400 GBP
RiponCity85,500 GBP81,000 GBP45,200-130,500 GBP
InvernessCity85,500 GBP80,400 GBP43,500-127,600 GBP
HartlepoolCity85,400 GBP87,700 GBP42,500-132,000 GBP
AbingdonCity85,100 GBP85,100 GBP42,700-130,500 GBP
SalisburyCity84,600 GBP81,900 GBP44,300-130,400 GBP
WinchesterCity84,200 GBP85,500 GBP38,700-128,400 GBP
WakefieldCity83,800 GBP78,400 GBP42,300-127,700 GBP
StrontianCity83,400 GBP78,200 GBP45,000-127,700 GBP
WalesRegion83,300 GBP81,700 GBP42,300-130,500 GBP
DurhamCity83,000 GBP90,900 GBP39,800-134,700 GBP
BangorCity82,200 GBP82,200 GBP41,000-130,500 GBP
TruroCity80,500 GBP77,400 GBP45,600-125,400 GBP
WellsCity80,500 GBP80,500 GBP40,200-128,200 GBP
KirkwallCity79,600 GBP79,600 GBP39,800-121,800 GBP
St DavidsCity79,000 GBP76,000 GBP42,700-121,800 GBP
StromnessCity77,000 GBP84,800 GBP36,400-123,800 GBP

Financial Advisor in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a financial advisor make per month in United Kingdom?

    A financial advisor in United Kingdom earns about 7,500 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 90,000 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a financial advisor in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level financial advisors in United Kingdom start near 45,100 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 139,100 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 60,200 and 114,300 GBP.

  • Is the median financial advisor salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 88,500 GBP, lower than the average of 90,000 GBP. Half of financial advisors in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for financial advisors in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a financial advisor in United Kingdom earn around 3% more than women on average (89,400 vs 86,600 GBP a year).

  • Do financial advisors in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 84% of financial advisors in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 5% to 9% of base salary.

  • Do financial advisors earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a financial advisor about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do financial advisors in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A financial advisor in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 13% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 10% a year.