The UK’s salary landscape continues to evolve, with new figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing a significant divide between the highest and lowest paying professions. The annual data, based on April 2024 earnings, highlights growing income disparities and changing trends across sectors.

According to the ONS, the median gross annual earnings for full-time employees reached £37,430 in April 2024 — a 6.9% increase from the previous year. But while average pay is rising, the gap between the top and bottom earners remains stark.

Leadership, Tech, and Transport Dominate Top Salaries

Unsurprisingly, executive and leadership roles lead the list of the UK’s highest paying jobs. Chief executives and senior officials top the chart with a median annual salary of £88,056. Close behind are directors in marketing, sales, and advertising (£87,309), and IT directors (£86,033). These three are the only professions with salaries surpassing €100,000 annually.

Notably, aircraft pilots and air traffic controllers rank fourth (£80,414), followed by specialist medical practitioners (£74,979) and headteachers (£71,064). Several transport-related roles also feature prominently — including train and tram drivers, who earn £63,958, outpacing even judges and barristers (£59,423).

Tech remains a stronghold for high pay, with various IT roles — such as systems designers, software developers, and business analysts — earning well above the national median. Other well-compensated fields include engineering, statistics, and emergency services. Paramedics, for instance, earn an average of £54,638, while aerospace and electronics engineers earn just over £52,000.

The 40th highest-paying job still earns £50,853, illustrating the significant financial gap even within the top-earning group.

Hospitality, Childcare, and Support Roles Trail Behind

At the opposite end of the spectrum, school midday supervisors and crossing patrol staff are the lowest paid in the UK, earning £19,860 — just over half the national median. Coffee shop workers follow closely at £19,990.

Hospitality and catering roles dominate the bottom 40, with bar staff, waiters, cooks, and kitchen assistants all earning between £20,000 and £23,000. Despite their societal importance, early years and childcare professionals are also among the lowest paid. Childminders earn around £20,189, while early education assistants make under £23,000 annually.

Manual and cleaning roles, such as launderers, florists, and sewing machinists, also rank low. Even some healthcare support roles, including dental nurses and pharmacy assistants, fall below the national median despite requiring training or certification.

As the UK’s job market evolves, this data underscores the persistent inequality in pay across sectors. While digital and technical roles continue to gain value, critical support and care professions lag behind, raising important questions about how society rewards its workforce.

The United Kingdom and the United States are expected to announce a new trade agreement later today, following comments from U.S. President Donald Trump that a deal with a “highly respected” country was imminent. Downing Street confirmed Thursday morning that a formal statement would be issued, highlighting deepening economic ties between the two transatlantic allies.

According to a spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the pending agreement reflects Britain’s commitment to acting in the national interest. “The prime minister will always act in Britain’s national interest – for workers, for business, for families,” the spokesperson said. “The United States is an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security. Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace and the prime minister will update later today.”

The anticipated deal could mark the first formal trade agreement reached by the U.S. since “Liberation Day” in April, when President Trump introduced a new wave of tariffs targeting foreign imports. The UK emerged relatively unscathed from those tariffs, with its exports facing a 10% baseline duty—far less than the 20% rate imposed on EU goods or the 30%-plus levies on imports from several Asian countries.

However, key British exports such as cars and steel are still subject to a 25% tariff under current U.S. rules. Trade experts anticipate that the forthcoming agreement will focus on easing restrictions in these sectors, though it is unlikely to extend to a full-scale free trade arrangement at this stage.

British negotiators have been in Washington this week in a final push to secure more favorable terms, amid growing concern over potential future levies. President Trump’s recent proposal to tax foreign films has also raised alarms in the UK, where the film industry is a major source of export revenue.

The UK is also broadening its global trade strategy. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Starmer announced a long-awaited trade deal with India, easing the movement of professionals and reducing tariffs on British gin and whisky. Meanwhile, preparations are underway for a UK-EU summit on May 19, where discussions are expected to include a post-Brexit youth mobility agreement.

The U.S., for its part, is exploring deals with several nations including Japan, Israel, and India, though negotiations with China remain strained. President Trump has signaled that he will not lower tariffs on Chinese imports—currently at 145%—without significant concessions from Beijing.

As transatlantic talks reach their conclusion, today’s announcement could mark a significant milestone in reshaping post-Brexit trade relations between London and Washington.

Rheinmetall, Germany’s largest ammunition and arms manufacturer, reported a sharp rise in sales for the first quarter of 2025, as European defence spending continues to surge in response to shifting geopolitical dynamics. The company posted a 46% year-on-year increase in revenue, reaching €2.3 billion, driven by heightened demand for military systems and weapons.

The standout performance came from Rheinmetall’s defence segment, which grew by 73% to €1.8 billion in sales, accounting for the majority of the company’s revenue. Foreign markets contributed 70% of total sales, underlining the global reach of the firm’s growing defence footprint. The spike in demand follows a broader trend across Europe, where defence budgets are expanding in response to heightened security concerns, particularly following the recent suspension of U.S. military aid to Ukraine.

Shares in Rheinmetall have surged by 170% since the start of the year, with an additional 1.5% gain following the earnings announcement. Germany’s landmark debt reform, which prioritizes defence and infrastructure spending, has also played a role in boosting investor confidence across the defence sector.

Looking ahead, Rheinmetall maintained its forecast for 2025, projecting annual sales growth of 25% to 30%. The company expects an operating margin of 15.5%, up from 15.2% in 2024, and hinted at the possibility of further revisions to guidance as demand conditions continue to improve.

Chairman of the Executive Board Armin Papperger described the current period as a turning point for the company and for European defence at large. “Rheinmetall is needed—customers are buying entire factories from us today,” he said. “Europe must prepare itself for a new era… Rheinmetall stands firmly by its responsibility in this epochal break.”

Papperger emphasized the company’s global expansion efforts, noting projects in the U.S., UK, Italy, and Ukraine, as well as new plant constructions and strategic acquisitions. “We are experiencing growth like never before,” he added.

Rheinmetall’s first-quarter profit rose by 70%, with earnings per share at €1.92. Operating income climbed 49% to €199 million, while defence profits nearly doubled to €206 million. A key performance indicator—referred to as “Rheinmetall Nomination,” which includes incoming orders and framework agreements—surged 181% year-on-year to €11 billion, with a significant share originating from Germany’s special military fund.

The company’s order backlog hit a record €63 billion by the end of the quarter, driven by large-scale contracts in various defence categories. Vehicle systems revenue jumped 93% to €952 million, and weapons and ammunition sales reached an all-time high of €599 million. Electronic solutions saw nominations soar to €10 billion, while the power systems segment fell 6.7% amid automotive sector headwinds.