Occupation 5431 · Skilled trades occupations
Butchers direct and undertake the slaughter of animals and prepare carcasses for storage, processing and sale.
There are no formal academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades. Training is typically by apprenticeship. NVQs/SVQs are available at levels 2 and 3. Professional qualifications are also available.
Butcher · Butcher’s assistant · Butchery manager · Master butcher · Slaughterman
| Measure | Hours | Basis | Period | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5431 : Butchers | None | None | 2026-03 | 14,400.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5431 : Butchers | None | None | 2026-03 | 16,000.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5431 : Butchers | None | None | 2026-03 | 19,900.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5431 : Butchers | None | None | 2026-03 | 1,400.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5431 : Butchers | None | None | 2026-03 | 3,900.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5431 : Butchers | None | None | 2026-03 | 21,300.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5431 : Butchers | None | None | 2026-03 | 1,600.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
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 | 5431 : Butchers | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| East Midlands | 5431 : Butchers | None | 1,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| London | 5431 : Butchers | None | 500.00 | 2026-03 |
| North East | 5431 : Butchers | None | withheld | 2026-03 |
| North West | 5431 : Butchers | None | 4,400.00 | 2026-03 |
| Northern Ireland | 5431 : Butchers | None | 1,400.00 | 2026-03 |
| Scotland | 5431 : Butchers | None | 3,900.00 | 2026-03 |
| South East | 5431 : Butchers | None | 3,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| South West | 5431 : Butchers | None | 1,800.00 | 2026-03 |
| Wales | 5431 : Butchers | None | 1,600.00 | 2026-03 |
| West Midlands | 5431 : Butchers | None | 2,500.00 | 2026-03 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 5431 : Butchers | None | 600.00 | 2026-03 |
ONS publishes regional pay for this occupation where the survey sample supports it — 10 of 12 cells on this page. The rest are withheld by ONS, and are shown as withheld with the reason, rather than left out.
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.
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