The top UK jobs with the best pay rises to beat inflation

Average pay across the economy grew by 4pc in the year to February but such rises fail to keep pace with soaring inflation. However, a handful of occupations have enjoyed huge pay increases over the past year, giving employees in these roles a fighting chance of beating inflation.

Jobs with the biggest pay rises in the UK

Sales consultant

After two years of pandemic uncertainty and challenging trading conditions, companies are desperate to boost revenues and profits. Employees who can secure new business are in high demand. The average salary advertised for a sales consultant jumped by a fifth to £32,500 in the year to March, according to Indeed. The rise is almost three times more than the 7pc rate of inflation recorded in the same month. 

Door supervisor 

A wave of resignations and changes to the labour market after Brexit have resulted in an acute shortage of door supervisors and security staff. 

Staff levels are currently 30pc down on the pre-pandemic norm, according to the Night Time Industries Association, and safety concerns mean venues are desperate to fill vacancies. The average pay for a door supervisor has risen by more than 15pc to £13 an hour in the past year. 

Line cook and sous chef 

The hospitality industry has been hit hard by staff shortages in the wake of Brexit and successive lockdowns. Employees have ditched the long hours and job insecurity for other careers, meaning restaurants have been willing to pay a premium to staff their kitchens. 

Line cooks are not the highest ranking members of a kitchen, as they tend to prepare food and stock the kitchen, but they are nonetheless in high demand. The advertised salary for this role is now £11 an hour, almost 15pc higher than in March 2021. 

Sous chefs, who are more senior, have seen a similar increase of almost 13pc in their pay; the average restaurant offered £29,000 for this role last month. 

HGV driver

A nationwide shortage of lorry drivers has plagued Britain’s supply chain since the pandemic struck. Both companies and the Government have made desperate attempts to entice new hauliers to the road, promising pay rises, free training and flexible visa rules. Those willing to get behind a wheel have been rewarded. Employers are now offering an average of £15 an hour to HGV drivers – a 13.6pc rise in the past year. 

Recruiter 

Job vacancies across the economy rose to a record high of almost 1.3 million in the first three months of this year and the business to fill these roles has boomed. Recruiters are in high demand and pay in the industry has climbed by 12.4pc in the past year, taking the average annual salary to £27,500.