Occupation 5435 · Skilled trades occupations
Cooks prepare, season and cook food, often using pre-prepared ingredients, in clubs, private households, fast food outlets, shops selling food cooked on the premises and the catering departments and canteens of other establishments.
There are no formal academic requirements. Training is provided off and on-the-job. NVQs/ SVQs in Food Preparation and Cooking are available at levels 1, 2 and 3. Apprenticeships are also available.
Cook · Cook-supervisor · Fish fryer · Head cook
| Measure | Hours | Basis | Period | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5435 : Cooks | None | None | 2026-03 | 35,400.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5435 : Cooks | None | None | 2026-03 | 39,500.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5435 : Cooks | None | None | 2026-03 | 44,500.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5435 : Cooks | None | None | 2026-03 | 2,900.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5435 : Cooks | None | None | 2026-03 | 5,100.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5435 : Cooks | None | None | 2026-03 | 47,500.00 | ONS, Annual Population Survey - employment by occupation (SOC 2020) |
| 5435 : Cooks | None | None | 2026-03 | 4,100.00 | 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 | 5435 : Cooks | None | 1,600.00 | 2026-03 |
| East Midlands | 5435 : Cooks | None | 6,700.00 | 2026-03 |
| London | 5435 : Cooks | None | 3,800.00 | 2026-03 |
| North East | 5435 : Cooks | None | 2,400.00 | 2026-03 |
| North West | 5435 : Cooks | None | 7,200.00 | 2026-03 |
| Northern Ireland | 5435 : Cooks | None | 2,900.00 | 2026-03 |
| Scotland | 5435 : Cooks | None | 5,100.00 | 2026-03 |
| South East | 5435 : Cooks | None | 4,900.00 | 2026-03 |
| South West | 5435 : Cooks | None | 1,300.00 | 2026-03 |
| Wales | 5435 : Cooks | None | 4,100.00 | 2026-03 |
| West Midlands | 5435 : Cooks | None | 2,300.00 | 2026-03 |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 5435 : Cooks | None | 5,400.00 | 2026-03 |
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.
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.
Bakers and flour confectioners · Butchers · Catering and bar managers · Chefs · Fishmongers and poultry dressers