Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE)

About this survey

The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, collects information on how pay changes over time, across regions and your local area. This information helps Government, local government, organisations, employees, and the public to understand the highest and lowest wages across different jobs and industries across the UK. You can view the latest ASHE data for your occupation, industry and area in the ASHE Employee Earnings in the UK publication. 

Your contribution directly influences decisions that affect millions of workers across the UK. ASHE data is used to set the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage each year, and to inform policies on pay such as on the gender pay gap. 

Pay review bodies use ASHE data to compare public and private sector pay and to make recommendations for groups such as NHS staff, teachers, and civil servants. The salary thresholds for Skilled Worker visas are also set using ASHE data.

Future policies affecting pay rely on your organisation's contribution to the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). 

Your organisation's data are an important contribution to ASHE which provides the most comprehensive source of information about the wages and working hours of employees in the UK. ASHE data are National Statistics, which means they are a trusted, high quality official source of earnings. ASHE data, like all ONS data, are anonymised and secure so no individual or business can be identified.    

By completing the survey, you are helping to ensure that pay policies and economic decisions are based on accurate, representative, and up-to-date evidence. Thank you for your contribution!

Available Survey Data  

You can find ASHE data in the data related to employee earnings in the UK section of our website. This includes tables showing breakdowns of:

• gross weekly pay
• weekly pay excluding overtime
• basic pay including other pay
• overtime pay
• gross hourly pay
• hourly pay excluding overtime
• gross annual pay
• annual incentive pay
• total paid hours
• basic paid hours
• paid overtime hours

If you are selected to complete the ASHE Survey 

The survey can now be completed online. If you are selected to complete the survey, you will receive an enrolment letter with instructions on how to access and complete the survey. The way you complete your survey will depend on the number of employees from your organisation that are selected for the survey. 

If you have been selected to complete the survey via Secure Electronic File Transfer (SEFT), further guidance and support can be found on our SEFT Additional Guidance webpage.  

You must use the template we provide for your ASHE return. If you return the data in a different format, it will be returned to you to amend and resubmit. 

If you've been selected to complete an online survey using our Secure Data Collection (SDC) platform, further guidance and support can be found on our Online Survey Additional Guidance webpage.  

The template for SEFT is available in the "Related download" section of this page. Reminders are issued automatically, so you may receive one if you submit data just before or after the return date. 

Regardless of the method of completion, you will need the following information to complete the survey:

• a breakdown of the selected employees' earnings, paid hours and pension arrangements 

• personnel information, such as job title, employment start date and annual leave entitlement 

All information you provide is strictly confidential and securely stored. 

Please note that ASHE is conducted under the provisions of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947. Once selected, your business is legally obliged to comply. You cannot appeal your selection or the method of survey completion. Failure to complete and submit your survey on time may result in a fine of up to £2500.

Complete this survey online

Survey information

Selection criteria: ASHE is based on a 1% sample of employee jobs taken from HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC’s) Pay As You Earn (PAYE) records.

Population: employee jobs registered with HMRC’s PAYE

Sample: approximately 300,000

Frequency: annually

Dispatch dates: mid-April

Return-by date: the fourth week of May; a specific date will be on the survey

Dispatch and return-by dates are subject to change due to national holidays and weekends.

Why you have received this survey

The sample for ASHE includes specific employees who are members of PAYE Income Tax schemes and it is essential for that sample to remain as stable as possible. Consequently, once a National Insurance number is selected, survey will be issued in respect of that employee, irrespective of the employer.

If you need help

For further information and for answers to frequently asked questions about our business surveys, please visit About ONS business surveys.

Alternatively, you can call us on 0300 1234 931. Please enter the three-digit survey ID 141.

When contacting the office, you may be asked for the following information:

Survey code: 141
Reference number: For example, 14100006654

If you would like to use our Minicom service for the Deaf, the number is +44 1633 815044.

Er mwyn gwneud cais am ffurflen Gymraeg (to speak to someone in Welsh): 0300 1234 911.