Inspectors of standards and regulations: pay and what the work involves

Occupation 3581 · Associate professional occupations

Inspectors of standards and regulations

Inspectors of standards and regulations undertake investigations and inspections to verify and ensure compliance with acts, regulations and other requirements in respect of: buildings, weights, measures and trade descriptions; the installation and safety of electrical, gas and water supplies and equipment; marine pollution, ships’ structures, equipment and accommodation; the treatment of animals; the operation of commercial vehicles; the welfare, health and safety in factories and all work sites subject to the provisions in the Factory Acts.

How people enter it

Entrants usually possess A levels/H grades, a degree or equivalent qualification, together with experience gained in employment. Professional qualifications, membership of professional bodies, postgraduate diplomas and NVQs/ SVQs at levels 3 and 4 are available and may be required in some occupations. On-the-job training is available in some areas.

What the work involves

examines building plans to ensure compliance with local, statutory and other requirements
inspects building structures, facilities and sites to determine suitability for habitation, compliance with regulations and for insurance purposes
inspects measuring and similar equipment in factories and visits street traders, shops, garages and other premises to check scales, weights and measuring equipment
inspects factories and other work sites to ensure adequate cleanliness, temperature, lighting and ventilation, checks for fire hazards and inspects storage and handling arrangements of dangerous materials
visits sites during construction and inspects completed installations of electricity, gas or water supply
draws attention to any irregularities or infringements of regulations and advises on ways of rectifying them
investigates industrial accidents or any complaints made by the public
verifies the weight of commercial vehicles, checks driver’s licence and hours worked
samples and tests river water, checks and advises on premises discharging effluent to prevent pollution
checks fishing licences and prevents illegal fishing
visits premises where animals are kept, advises on animal care and investigates complaints
undertakes other inspections including chemicals, drugs, flight operations, etc.
prepares reports and recommendations on all inspections made and recommends legal action where necessary

Also called

Building inspector · Driving examiner · Housing inspector · Meat hygiene inspector · Trading standards officer

What it pays

Measure	Hours	Basis	Period	Value	Source
3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	None	2026-03	35,600.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	None	2026-03	37,900.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	None	2026-03	42,700.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	None	2026-03	1,600.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	None	2026-03	4,800.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	None	2026-03	44,300.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)
3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	None	2026-03	2,300.00	ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020)

Every regional figure

ONS does not publish occupational pay below region. Cells the survey could not support are shown as withheld, with its reason — adding a region split to a specific occupation leaves roughly a tenth of cells publishable.

Region	Measure	Hours	Value	Period
East	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	6,300.00	2026-03
East Midlands	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	3,700.00	2026-03
London	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	1,600.00	2026-03
North East	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	1,900.00	2026-03
North West	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	5,200.00	2026-03
Northern Ireland	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	1,600.00	2026-03
Scotland	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	4,800.00	2026-03
South East	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	2,800.00	2026-03
South West	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	4,200.00	2026-03
Wales	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	2,300.00	2026-03
West Midlands	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	4,400.00	2026-03
Yorkshire and The Humber	3581 : Inspectors of standards and regulations	None	5,400.00	2026-03

Common questions

Does pay for inspectors of standards and regulations vary by region?

ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 12 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.

Where do these pay figures come from?

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, published by the Office for National Statistics. Figures are shown exactly as ONS publishes them — we do not adjust, model or fill them in, and every number on this page carries the series and period it came from.

Classified alongside this

Health and safety managers and officers