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Average Live In Carer Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A live in carer in United Kingdom earns about 25,800 GBP a year. That's 63% 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 13,700 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 43,500 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 live in carer make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
25,800 GBP
2,150 GBP per month
Lowest reported
13,700 GBP
1,141 GBP per month
Highest reported
43,500 GBP
3,625 GBP per month

A typical live in carer working in United Kingdom brings home around 2,150 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 13,700 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 43,500 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 live in carer 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 live in carer salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How live in carer 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 live in carers in United Kingdom earn less than 29,200 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 19,200 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 38,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of live in carers sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 13,700 GBP. The highest stretch to 43,500 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.

13,700
Low
29,200
Median
43,500
High
19,200
25th
38,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Live in carer pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a live in carer 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 live in carer salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    15,200 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +24% from previous
    18,900 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +42% from previous
    26,900 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +30% from previous
    35,100 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +4% from previous
    36,400 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +7% from previous
    38,900 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 42%. That is the point at which a live in carer 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.

Live in carer pay by education in United Kingdom

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

  • High School
    17,500 GBP
  • Certificate or Diploma
    +58% from previous
    27,600 GBP
  • Bachelor's Degree
    +57% from previous
    43,400 GBP

Live in carer 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 live in carers in United Kingdom earn an average of 27,100 GBP a year, while female live in carers earn around 29,000 GBP. That works out to a 7% 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.

Live In Carer gender pay gap

7%

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

Women 29,000 GBP
Men 27,100 GBP

Pay raises for a live in carer 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 11% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 9% 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

Live in carer 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.

35%

35% of live in carers in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a live in carer a low-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 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 65% of live in carers 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

Live in carer: 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

Live in carer salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Live in carer 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
  • Liverpool
  • Birmingham
  • Brighton
  • Sheffield
  • Leeds
  • Swansea
  • Derby
  • Coventry
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion54,100 GBP58,500 GBP24,800-84,800 GBP
ScotlandRegion39,500 GBP40,700 GBP20,500-64,100 GBP
LiverpoolCity33,600 GBP30,600 GBP16,900-50,700 GBP
BirminghamCity33,200 GBP33,600 GBP14,300-51,800 GBP
BrightonCity32,900 GBP31,200 GBP16,400-48,600 GBP
SheffieldCity31,400 GBP32,900 GBP15,800-49,700 GBP
LeedsCity31,400 GBP30,800 GBP16,300-48,200 GBP
SwanseaCity31,400 GBP30,800 GBP16,300-48,200 GBP
DerbyCity31,200 GBP29,900 GBP14,200-45,200 GBP
CoventryCity31,200 GBP29,600 GBP14,000-47,500 GBP
WolverhamptonCity30,800 GBP32,300 GBP12,400-46,700 GBP
LeicesterCity30,800 GBP33,600 GBP14,500-46,700 GBP
NottinghamCity30,800 GBP31,200 GBP15,200-43,800 GBP
CardiffCity30,700 GBP28,900 GBP17,100-45,600 GBP
EdinburghCity30,300 GBP33,600 GBP15,100-50,700 GBP
BristolCity30,000 GBP35,100 GBP15,300-48,500 GBP
NorwichCity29,900 GBP30,000 GBP13,600-44,200 GBP
BradfordCity29,600 GBP32,200 GBP15,400-49,700 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity29,600 GBP31,400 GBP15,400-46,900 GBP
NewcastleCity29,600 GBP30,800 GBP15,100-47,500 GBP
BelfastCity29,600 GBP33,500 GBP14,200-50,300 GBP
ManchesterCity29,400 GBP31,800 GBP17,100-47,200 GBP
LondonCity29,400 GBP31,700 GBP15,200-50,800 GBP
PortsmouthCity29,300 GBP29,400 GBP13,900-45,400 GBP
GlasgowCity29,100 GBP30,800 GBP16,300-46,200 GBP
SomersetCity29,100 GBP27,700 GBP17,000-46,700 GBP
PlymouthCity29,100 GBP30,200 GBP14,500-47,100 GBP
OxfordCity29,000 GBP26,500 GBP14,000-43,400 GBP
ArmaghCity28,900 GBP26,100 GBP13,100-45,300 GBP
YorkCity28,800 GBP29,600 GBP14,700-44,300 GBP
CanterburyCity27,800 GBP23,600 GBP13,900-41,300 GBP
WalesRegion27,800 GBP23,600 GBP13,900-38,000 GBP
BangorCity27,800 GBP27,300 GBP13,000-38,900 GBP
ChesterCity27,400 GBP30,800 GBP12,800-45,300 GBP
WinchesterCity27,400 GBP23,600 GBP15,100-38,700 GBP
TruroCity27,400 GBP26,400 GBP15,100-38,700 GBP
LisburnCity27,400 GBP23,600 GBP15,100-38,700 GBP
PooleCity27,300 GBP24,200 GBP14,500-42,600 GBP
SouthamptonCity27,300 GBP29,200 GBP15,200-45,200 GBP
PeterboroughCity27,300 GBP32,200 GBP14,700-46,100 GBP
GloucesterCity27,300 GBP27,400 GBP12,400-41,900 GBP
HartlepoolCity27,100 GBP27,700 GBP12,600-44,300 GBP
DurhamCity27,100 GBP27,700 GBP12,600-44,300 GBP
AberdeenCity26,900 GBP26,200 GBP14,300-44,500 GBP
CambridgeCity26,900 GBP27,400 GBP13,500-41,500 GBP
DerryCity26,600 GBP27,300 GBP13,000-42,000 GBP
SalisburyCity26,500 GBP27,400 GBP15,800-40,700 GBP
DundeeCity26,400 GBP30,100 GBP13,400-43,100 GBP
NewportCity26,300 GBP28,900 GBP11,400-45,000 GBP
LincolnCity26,300 GBP29,900 GBP14,900-43,500 GBP
StirlingCity26,100 GBP25,800 GBP14,200-41,500 GBP
AbingdonCity25,800 GBP27,100 GBP11,400-39,800 GBP
NewryCity25,500 GBP31,300 GBP13,700-44,300 GBP
ExeterCity24,800 GBP27,000 GBP13,000-39,700 GBP
RiponCity24,400 GBP26,600 GBP11,800-39,300 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion24,200 GBP23,400 GBP12,800-38,700 GBP
InvernessCity23,600 GBP26,200 GBP11,900-41,300 GBP
KirkwallCity23,600 GBP24,400 GBP12,800-40,500 GBP
St DavidsCity23,600 GBP24,400 GBP12,800-40,500 GBP
WakefieldCity23,600 GBP26,900 GBP12,200-38,000 GBP
StromnessCity23,400 GBP25,700 GBP12,300-38,700 GBP
StrontianCity23,300 GBP26,200 GBP12,800-36,700 GBP
WellsCity22,400 GBP24,800 GBP10,200-36,400 GBP

Live In Carer in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a live in carer make per month in United Kingdom?

    A live in carer in United Kingdom earns about 2,150 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 25,800 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a live in carer in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level live in carers in United Kingdom start near 13,700 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 43,500 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 19,200 and 38,700 GBP.

  • Is the median live in carer salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 29,200 GBP, higher than the average of 25,800 GBP. Half of live in carers in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for live in carers in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a live in carer in United Kingdom earn around 7% less than women on average (27,100 vs 29,000 GBP a year).

  • Do live in carers in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 35% of live in carers in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do live in carers earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

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

  • How often do live in carers in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A live in carer in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 11% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 9% a year.