How the surveys are compiled
ASHE
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), which replaced the New Earnings Survey (NES), is provided by National Statistics and is the main source of data on the distribution of earnings in the UK. It is mostly based on a 1% sample of employees who are members of PAYE income tax schemes. The survey is produced annually and released in October of each year with the 5th April prior as the reference point.
ASHE was introduced in October 2004 and earlier NES data was reconfigured using the ASHE imputation and weighting methodology in order to provide a continuous time series. At that time a back history of data to 1998 was published to replace the NES data.
The change from NES to ASHE reveals some anomalies, for example at the point of changeover the resulting new 2003 ASHE values for Scaffolders were significantly higher than 2002 and less than 2004.
Each ASHE occupation is allocated a Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code, but the occupations are not always obvious. For example, the category of accountant in ASHE is shown under ‘certified’ or ‘chartered’, therefore we have included a range of more recognisable occupations in the A-Z search feature.
It is our opinion ASHE values, while relatively reliable, should always be used with prudence simply because they are based on a small snapshot of 1% of one week’s PAYE returns.
In some instances, the sample return has been so small that no values are available, which is even more the case in terms of regional pay differences. In this case a small ‘x’ is shown instead of a value.
All ASHE values illustrated on Askpay are at the median, gross weekly level and in three categories; ‘all employees’, ‘male’ and ‘female’.
The most common tables are referred to here; 14.1a for standard pay and 14.3a for basic pay.
We shall be introducing regional variations, but please remember there is a strong possibility that even smaller returns are likely to further dilute the sample and therefore no value will be illustrated.
IMPORTANT !
It has come to our notice that reference is being made by some employment experts to MEAN (average) rather than MEDIAN values. Additionally, the Professional Negligence Bar Association's 2008/9 Facts & Figures for the calculation of damages, sets out a range of tables taken from ASHE 2007, supplied by an employment expert practice, also following this trend. The headings in these tables use the word 'AVERAGE'.
We believe the use of MEAN may have the effect of distorting the position and submit the following guidance notes issued by ASHE (Online National Statistics), which are set out at the conclusion of their statistics, and which state; "The mean and the median measure different things and can both be appropriate measures depending on what the user is trying to measure. The mean measures the average amount earned by individuals within a domain. In a skew distribution, such as earnings, this measure is susceptible to small numbers of very high earners. The median measures the amount earned by the typical individual within a domain. Since the majority of users seem to be interested in the amount that the typical individual earns, this makes the median a more appropriate measure to focus on than the mean". (our underline).
As an example, the MEAN value for a male Hotel and Accommodation Manager is shown in Facts & Figures as £586.80 gross per week, whereas the MEDIAN value (not shown) is actually £462.50 gross per week.
Other surveys
Where one survey covers a range of occupations, that survey will appear under each occupational category throughout the site.
Surveys by recruitment consultancies/employment agencies and the like are usually compiled on the basis of jobs filled by the relevant company over a 12-month period.
Those compiled by professional or trade organisations are normally as a result of a member response survey.
Most surveys follow recognisable formats, but others are in narrative form. The information sought will be available in the body of the text.
More often than not there is no reference to the size of the sample and unlike ASHE they rarely state median values, usually the average, or a range.
Some organisations may have completed just one survey, therefore the most recent is shown.
Common sense is the basic rule to apply when referring to salary surveys. Some salary ranges will appear extremely broad. For example, an accountant in a multinational organisation is likely to be doing a very different job to one in a small business and most surveys are put out every six months or so, which means 2008 surveys were released towards the end of 2007, so exercise caution, especially when they may have been compiled before the credit crunch !
Please note, it is not usually the case a survey or report is indicative of a career path, although some sites/surveys do set out typical routes of progression. Please scroll down to 'What they do' below each category where you will find useful information on most careers and earnings progression.
