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Average Hostess / Host Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A hostess or host in United Kingdom earns about 24,400 GBP a year. That's 65% below 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 11,800 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 40,300 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 hostess or host make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
24,400 GBP
2,033 GBP per month
Lowest reported
11,800 GBP
983 GBP per month
Highest reported
40,300 GBP
3,358 GBP per month

A typical hostess or host working in United Kingdom brings home around 2,033 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 11,800 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 40,300 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 hostess or host 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 hostess or host salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How hostess or host 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 hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom earn less than 26,600 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 16,000 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 31,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of hostesses or hosts sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 11,800 GBP. The highest stretch to 40,300 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.

11,800
Low
26,600
Median
40,300
High
16,000
25th
31,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Hostess or host pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a hostess or host 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 hostess or host salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    12,900 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +49% from previous
    19,200 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +29% from previous
    24,800 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +38% from previous
    34,100 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +4% from previous
    35,300 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +4% from previous
    36,800 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 0 - 2 Years to 2 - 5 Years, where pay rises by about 49%. That is the point at which a hostess or host 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.

Hostess or host pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving hostess or host 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 hostess or host salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • High School
    19,200 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +36% from previous
    26,200 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +45% from previous
    38,100 GBP

Hostess or host 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 hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom earn an average of 23,600 GBP a year, while female hostesses or hosts earn around 26,600 GBP. That works out to a 11% gap in favour of women, 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.

Hostess / Host gender pay gap

11%

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

Women 26,600 GBP
Men 23,600 GBP

Pay raises for a hostess or host 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 10% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 8% 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

Hostess or host 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.

57%

57% of hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a hostess or host a moderate-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 3% to 6% of base salary. The remaining 43% of hostesses or hosts 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

Hostess or host: 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

Hostess or host salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Hostess or host 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
  • Somerset
  • Leeds
  • Cardiff
  • Bristol
  • Sheffield
  • Belfast
  • Leicester
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion49,700 GBP49,800 GBP25,300-74,200 GBP
ScotlandRegion35,300 GBP35,300 GBP19,200-54,600 GBP
GlasgowCity31,300 GBP27,400 GBP14,500-43,800 GBP
SomersetCity31,200 GBP25,500 GBP15,500-46,400 GBP
LeedsCity30,800 GBP28,900 GBP13,100-45,700 GBP
CardiffCity30,700 GBP26,100 GBP16,400-46,300 GBP
BristolCity30,000 GBP32,200 GBP14,500-47,400 GBP
SheffieldCity30,000 GBP32,200 GBP14,500-47,400 GBP
BelfastCity29,900 GBP30,800 GBP14,500-44,500 GBP
LeicesterCity29,600 GBP28,800 GBP12,900-44,300 GBP
BirminghamCity29,400 GBP31,700 GBP15,300-50,800 GBP
BradfordCity29,300 GBP29,600 GBP12,400-45,900 GBP
EdinburghCity29,300 GBP29,300 GBP14,200-45,000 GBP
LiverpoolCity29,300 GBP26,900 GBP16,300-45,000 GBP
SwanseaCity29,300 GBP31,200 GBP12,000-46,400 GBP
NottinghamCity29,300 GBP29,300 GBP14,200-44,500 GBP
ManchesterCity29,300 GBP29,600 GBP12,000-47,500 GBP
SouthamptonCity29,300 GBP29,300 GBP15,200-45,600 GBP
LondonCity29,100 GBP34,100 GBP12,400-47,100 GBP
BrightonCity28,900 GBP30,800 GBP12,000-45,700 GBP
CoventryCity28,900 GBP27,200 GBP16,800-46,400 GBP
YorkCity27,800 GBP26,100 GBP12,600-42,600 GBP
LincolnCity27,600 GBP25,300 GBP13,900-39,600 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity27,400 GBP27,400 GBP12,400-43,400 GBP
ChesterCity27,400 GBP23,600 GBP15,100-40,300 GBP
ArmaghCity27,300 GBP26,300 GBP11,400-42,700 GBP
AberdeenCity27,300 GBP25,800 GBP12,800-41,000 GBP
DerbyCity27,300 GBP25,400 GBP14,200-41,700 GBP
PooleCity27,100 GBP24,800 GBP15,500-40,300 GBP
WolverhamptonCity27,000 GBP27,700 GBP12,600-42,800 GBP
PlymouthCity26,900 GBP27,300 GBP13,100-43,400 GBP
NewcastleCity26,900 GBP30,800 GBP13,900-45,600 GBP
NewryCity26,600 GBP23,600 GBP15,100-40,300 GBP
NorwichCity26,600 GBP25,800 GBP12,800-39,500 GBP
OxfordCity26,500 GBP25,800 GBP12,000-40,300 GBP
ExeterCity26,400 GBP25,800 GBP12,800-40,900 GBP
PortsmouthCity26,300 GBP28,900 GBP11,400-45,000 GBP
RiponCity26,200 GBP27,600 GBP10,000-39,100 GBP
HartlepoolCity26,200 GBP26,400 GBP12,500-36,200 GBP
CambridgeCity25,800 GBP25,800 GBP13,500-40,200 GBP
PeterboroughCity25,500 GBP25,800 GBP15,300-43,200 GBP
NewportCity25,500 GBP29,300 GBP13,700-44,900 GBP
WalesRegion25,300 GBP23,600 GBP11,900-36,900 GBP
BangorCity25,300 GBP23,700 GBP13,000-37,100 GBP
DerryCity24,200 GBP24,200 GBP11,400-38,000 GBP
DundeeCity24,200 GBP25,800 GBP13,700-41,700 GBP
StromnessCity23,800 GBP26,400 GBP9,500-35,000 GBP
SalisburyCity23,700 GBP24,800 GBP13,900-40,000 GBP
LisburnCity23,600 GBP24,800 GBP13,000-38,000 GBP
TruroCity23,600 GBP24,200 GBP12,800-37,800 GBP
StirlingCity23,600 GBP23,800 GBP15,100-39,500 GBP
CanterburyCity23,600 GBP25,400 GBP12,800-36,800 GBP
DurhamCity23,400 GBP25,700 GBP12,300-35,600 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion23,400 GBP23,800 GBP12,200-34,900 GBP
WellsCity23,400 GBP21,700 GBP10,200-34,000 GBP
St DavidsCity23,300 GBP26,500 GBP12,100-36,700 GBP
WakefieldCity23,100 GBP23,700 GBP12,600-35,600 GBP
KirkwallCity22,800 GBP22,300 GBP12,800-34,400 GBP
GloucesterCity22,800 GBP27,600 GBP12,500-39,100 GBP
AbingdonCity22,400 GBP23,800 GBP12,800-36,800 GBP
WinchesterCity22,200 GBP23,200 GBP13,700-33,300 GBP
InvernessCity22,000 GBP21,300 GBP12,600-36,400 GBP
StrontianCity21,300 GBP25,300 GBP9,900-35,000 GBP

Hostess / Host in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a hostess or host make per month in United Kingdom?

    A hostess or host in United Kingdom earns about 2,033 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 24,400 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a hostess or host in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom start near 11,800 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 40,300 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 16,000 and 31,700 GBP.

  • Is the median hostess or host salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 26,600 GBP, higher than the average of 24,400 GBP. Half of hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a hostess or host in United Kingdom earn around 11% less than women on average (23,600 vs 26,600 GBP a year).

  • Do hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 57% of hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 3% to 6% of base salary.

  • Do hostesses or hosts earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do hostesses or hosts in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A hostess or host in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 10% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 8% a year.