Civil Service pay
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- 1. Navigate toMain facts and figures section
- 2. Navigate toThings you need to know section
- 3. Navigate to By ethnicity over time section
- 4. Navigate to By ethnicity and grade section
- 5. Navigate to By ethnicity and area section
- 6. Navigate toData sources section
- 7. Navigate toDownload the data section
1. Main facts and figures
- in 2022, the average (median) annual pay for all civil servants was £30,110 – this figure is based on the annual pay of all civil servants, including the 18% of the workforce whose ethnicity was not known, and includes pay-related allowances, such as regional and skills allowances, but not bonuses
- Asian (£29,500) and white (£30,130) civil servants had the lowest average annual pay, followed by black civil servants (£31,060) and those from mixed ethnic backgrounds (£31,170)
- civil servants from the 'other' ethnic group had the highest average annual pay (£31,880)
- black civil servants had among the highest average annual pay out of all ethnic groups at junior grades (AA, AO and EO) – Asian civil servants had among the lowest annual pay at these grades
- comparing across regions, Asian civil servants had lower average annual pay than white civil servants in every region except the South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber
- the biggest differences in average annual pay between ethnic groups were among civil servants at Senior Civil Service level (the most senior grades) – pay was highest for Asian civil servants (£85,000) and lowest for those in the mixed ethnic group (£78,630)
2. Things you need to know
What the data measures
The data measures the average annual pay for all civil servants from different ethnic groups. It also shows data by grade, region and relative pay.
Data on numbers of staff and their pay is taken on 31 March every year.
The data shows the actual number of staff employed by the Civil Service (known as ‘headcount’) regardless of whether they work full time or part time.
There are 2 measures of the senior Civil Service available:
- the Senior Civil Service
- ‘SCS Level’, which also includes some senior professionals in health, military and diplomatic roles
The data uses the ‘SCS Level’ measure. As a result, figures may be different to those used for monitoring diversity of the Senior Civil Service.
Annual pay is rounded to the nearest pound. Average pay for every £1 paid to white civil servants is rounded to the nearest pence.
Not included in the data
The data does not include people working for:
- the NHS
- non-departmental public bodies
- the Civil Service abroad
- the Northern Ireland Civil Service, which supports the devolved government in Northern Ireland
- central government in security posts
It also excludes people:
- not on the payroll, such as contractors
- not paid during the period covered, such as staff taking unpaid leave
Values based on fewer than 5 responses have not been included in the data, both:
- to protect people’s confidentiality
- because the numbers are too small to make any reliable conclusions
The ethnic groups used in this data
Data is shown for the following 5 ethnic groups:
- Asian
- black
- mixed
- white
- 'other'
These groups were chosen to keep them at a size where estimates are reliable.
18% of civil servants did not report their ethnicity in 2022. The overall figures include civil servants whose ethnicity was not known.
Data for the Chinese ethnic group was shown separately until 2021 and is included within the Asian ethnic group from 2022 onwards.
Methodology
Read the detailed methodology document for the data on this page.
The data includes all Civil Service staff working in the UK on a specific date (31 March 2022) and not throughout the whole year. It was collected as part of the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey, which counts how many people are employed in the Civil Service and how diverse the workforce is.
As at 31 March 2022, the total number of Civil Service employees was 510,080 (478,090 full-time staff).
In the data file
Download the data for breakdowns that include civil servants joining and leaving the Civil Service.
3. By ethnicity over time
| Asian | Black | Chinese | Mixed | White | Other | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Time | Asian £ | Asian Headcount | Black £ | Black Headcount | Chinese £ | Chinese Headcount | Mixed £ | Mixed Headcount | White £ | White Headcount | Other £ | Other Headcount |
| 2015 | 24,700 | 18,560 | 26,000 | 10,210 | 26,600 | 890 | 26,400 | 4,410 | 25,000 | 305,550 | 27,800 | 2,040 |
| 2016 | 25,000 | 18,690 | 26,500 | 9,950 | 27,200 | 880 | 27,000 | 4,460 | 25,600 | 284,140 | 28,000 | 1,710 |
| 2017 | 25,600 | 19,780 | 26,900 | 10,230 | 27,400 | 910 | 27,500 | 4,740 | 26,000 | 283,740 | 28,500 | 1,750 |
| 2018 | 26,700 | 20,470 | 27,500 | 10,350 | 28,600 | 960 | 28,500 | 4,950 | 26,800 | 283,300 | 29,100 | 1,740 |
| 2019 | 27,200 | 23,170 | 28,400 | 11,970 | 29,500 | 1,080 | 29,600 | 6,140 | 27,200 | 304,430 | 30,000 | 1,980 |
| 2020 | 28,010 | 25,870 | 29,560 | 12,800 | 30,880 | 1,110 | 30,820 | 6,800 | 28,150 | 320,580 | 30,730 | 2,230 |
| 2021 | 29,080 | 29,160 | 30,690 | 15,600 | 32,300 | 1,250 | 31,060 | 8,260 | 29,040 | 340,400 | 31,790 | 2,590 |
| 2022 | 29,500 | 33,650 | 31,060 | 17,080 | N/A* | N/A* | 31,170 | 9,170 | 30,130 | 354,830 | 31,880 | 2,650 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity over time’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity over time’ (CSV)
Summary of Civil Service pay By ethnicity over time Summary
The data shows that:
- in 2022, the average (median) annual pay for all civil servants was £30,110
- this figure is based on the annual pay of all civil servants, including those whose ethnicity was not known, and includes pay-related allowances, such as regional and skills allowances, but not bonuses
- Asian (£29,500) and white (£30,130) civil servants had the lowest average annual pay, followed by black civil servants (£31,060) and those from mixed ethnic backgrounds (£31,170)
- civil servants from the 'other' ethnic group had the highest average annual pay (£31,880)
- between 2015 and 2022, average annual pay increased for every ethnic group
- the order of ethnic groups from highest to lowest pay remained mostly unchanged during this period
4. By ethnicity and grade
| All | AA/AO | EO | SEO/HEO | G6/G7 | SCS | Unknown | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ethnicity | All Average (median) annual pay (£) | All Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | AA/AO Average (median) annual pay (£) | AA/AO Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | EO Average (median) annual pay (£) | EO Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | SEO/HEO Average (median) annual pay (£) | SEO/HEO Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | G6/G7 Average (median) annual pay (£) | G6/G7 Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | SCS Average (median) annual pay (£) | SCS Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | Unknown Average (median) annual pay (£) | Unknown Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff |
| Asian | 29,500 | £0.98 | 21,260 | £1.00 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 36,620 | £1.00 | 57,290 | £1.00 | 85,000 | £1.03 | 28,200 | £0.97 |
| Black | 31,060 | £1.03 | 23,770 | £1.12 | 29,290 | £1.06 | 37,220 | £1.02 | 55,760 | £0.97 | 82,610 | £1.00 | 28,690 | £0.99 |
| Mixed | 31,170 | £1.03 | 21,680 | £1.02 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 36,500 | £1.00 | 56,780 | £0.99 | 78,630 | £0.95 | 28,690 | £0.99 |
| White | 30,130 | N/A* | 21,300 | N/A* | 27,570 | N/A* | 36,480 | N/A* | 57,190 | N/A* | 82,340 | N/A* | 28,980 | N/A* |
| Other | 31,880 | £1.06 | 22,560 | £1.06 | 28,210 | £1.02 | 37,430 | £1.03 | 57,430 | £1.00 | 83,880 | £1.02 | 29,000 | £1.00 |
| All | 30,110 | N/A* | 21,380 | N/A* | 27,570 | N/A* | 36,410 | N/A* | 57,190 | N/A* | 82,550 | N/A* | 28,880 | N/A* |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and grade’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and grade’ (CSV)
Summary of Civil Service pay By ethnicity and grade Summary
The data shows that, including regional and skills allowances:
- in 2022, the average (median) annual pay of civil servants varied by grade, from £21,380 for administrative officers and assistants (the most junior grade), to £82,550 for staff at Senior Civil Service (SCS) Level
- black civil servants had the highest average annual pay of all ethnic groups at junior grades (AA, AO and EO) – Asian civil servants had the lowest
- civil servants from ‘other’ ethnic backgrounds had the highest average annual pay of all ethnic groups at mid-level grades (HEO, SEO) – white civil servants had the lowest
- civil servants from ‘other’ ethnic backgrounds typically had the highest average annual pay of all ethnic groups at managerial grades (Grades 6 and 7) – black civil servants and those from mixed ethnic backgrounds had the lowest
- Asian civil servants had the highest average annual pay out of all ethnic groups at senior grades (SCS) – civil servants with mixed ethnic backgrounds had the lowest
- for grades below Senior Civil Service Level, the biggest difference in average annual pay between ethnic groups was among administrative officers and assistants (the most junior grade) – pay was highest for black civil servants (£23,770) and lowest for Asian civil servants (£21,260)
- at each grade below G6, G7 and Senior Civil Service levels, all ethnic minority groups were paid £1 or more for every £1 paid to white staff
- the biggest differences in average pay between all ethnic groups were among civil servants at junior grades (AA and AO) – black civil servants were paid £1.12 for every £1 paid to white civil servants
5. By ethnicity and area
| All | Asian | Black | Mixed | White | Other | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geography | All Average (median) annual pay | All Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | Asian Average (median) annual pay | Asian Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | Black Average (median) annual pay | Black Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | Mixed Average (median) annual pay | Mixed Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | White Average (median) annual pay | White Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff | Other Average (median) annual pay | Other Average pay for every £1 paid to White staff |
| All | 30,110 | N/A* | 29,500 | £0.98 | 31,060 | £1.03 | 31,170 | £1.03 | 30,130 | N/A* | 31,880 | £1.06 |
| East Midlands (England) | 27,570 | N/A* | 26,820 | £0.97 | 26,820 | £0.97 | 26,950 | £0.98 | 27,570 | N/A* | 27,570 | £1.00 |
| East Of England | 28,550 | N/A* | 27,570 | £0.95 | 29,290 | £1.01 | 29,260 | £1.01 | 28,920 | N/A* | 29,290 | £1.01 |
| London | 38,270 | N/A* | 33,550 | £0.79 | 31,650 | £0.75 | 36,910 | £0.87 | 42,470 | N/A* | 35,140 | £0.83 |
| North East (England) | 26,820 | N/A* | 26,820 | £0.97 | 26,820 | £0.97 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | N/A* | 26,290 | £0.95 |
| North West (England) | 27,570 | N/A* | 26,820 | £0.97 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,370 | £0.99 | 27,570 | N/A* | 27,570 | £1.00 |
| Northern Ireland | 26,590 | N/A* | withheld to protect confidentiality | N/A* | withheld to protect confidentiality | N/A* | withheld to protect confidentiality | N/A* | 26,820 | N/A* | withheld to protect confidentiality | N/A* |
| Overseas | 48,580 | N/A* | 38,600 | £0.77 | 38,600 | £0.77 | 49,030 | £0.98 | 49,810 | N/A* | withheld to protect confidentiality | N/A* |
| Scotland | 27,940 | N/A* | 27,570 | £0.95 | 27,570 | £0.95 | 30,360 | £1.05 | 28,920 | N/A* | 27,570 | £0.95 |
| South East (England) | 29,170 | N/A* | 28,350 | £0.97 | 29,290 | £1.00 | 29,230 | £1.00 | 29,230 | N/A* | 28,000 | £0.96 |
| South West (England) | 31,650 | N/A* | 31,990 | £1.00 | 31,150 | £0.98 | 30,210 | £0.95 | 31,900 | N/A* | 31,490 | £0.99 |
| Unknown | 32,400 | N/A* | 29,290 | £0.97 | 31,060 | £1.03 | withheld to protect confidentiality | N/A* | 30,260 | N/A* | withheld to protect confidentiality | N/A* |
| Wales | 27,570 | N/A* | 27,260 | £0.99 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | N/A* | 29,430 | £1.07 |
| West Midlands (England) | 27,570 | N/A* | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | N/A* | 27,210 | £0.99 |
| Yorkshire And The Humber | 27,570 | N/A* | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | £1.00 | 27,570 | N/A* | 27,570 | £1.00 |
Download table data for ‘By ethnicity and area’ (CSV) Source data for ‘By ethnicity and area’ (CSV)
Summary of Civil Service pay By ethnicity and area Summary
The data shows that, including regional allowances in some areas:
- in 2022, the average (median) annual pay of civil servants varied by region, from £26,590 in Northern Ireland to £38,270 in London
- while average annual pay was highest in London for all ethnic groups, for every £1 that white civil servants were paid, civil servants from ethnic minority groups were paid between 75p and 87p
- out of all regions, the biggest average annual pay difference between ethnic groups was in London, where white civil servants earned £42,470 and black civil servants earned £31,650
- average annual pay was largely the same for civil servants from different ethnic backgrounds working in the West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber
- civil servants from all ethnic backgrounds working overseas typically earned the highest average annual pay, though they represent less than 1% of all civil servants
- for all ethnic groups, average annual pay was typically lowest in Northern Ireland, the East Midlands, and the North East
- Asian civil servants had lower average annual pay than white civil servants in every region except the South West, West Midlands, and Yorkshire and the Humber
6. Data sources
Source
Annual Civil Service Employment Survey 2022
Type of data
Administrative data
Type of statistic
National Statistics
Publisher
Cabinet Office
Publication frequency
Yearly
Purpose of data source
The Annual Civil Service Employment Survey (ACSES) measures the number of civil servants and diversity across the workforce.
7. Download the data
This file contains the following: measure, time, employment status, geography, grade, age, gender, ethnicity, value (GBP £), headcount