jobfacts

Parking and civil enforcement occupations

SOC 2020 6312

Parking and civil enforcement occupations patrol assigned areas to detect and prevent infringements of local parking regulations and control the parking of vehicles in public and private car parks.

Also calledCivil enforcement officerParking enforcement officerParking wardenTraffic wardenNeighbourhood wardenStreet wardenand 16 more titles
Typical full-time pay£29,6002025 Provisional
People in the job12,000across the UK
Demand for workersNot high
New adverts a month291↓ 22%on last year · 315th of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time parking and civil enforcement occupations earn between £26,300 and £32,900 a year.

What full-time parking and civil enforcement occupations earn, 2025
£29,600 typical£25,600lowest 20%£32,90075%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£26,300–£32,900)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less thanNot published
Lowest 20% earn less than£25,600
25%£26,300
Median£29,600
75%£32,900
Top 20% earn more thanNot published
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £29,600
North East!£32,900
Scotland!£30,400
South East!£30,000
Yorkshire and The Humber!£29,700
London!£29,000
East of England!£28,300
West Midlands!£27,200
North West!£26,800
South West!£26,700
East MidlandsNot published by ONS–
WalesNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £29,600
North East£32,900 (small sample)
Scotland£30,400 (small sample)
South East£30,000 (small sample)
Yorkshire and The Humber£29,700 (small sample)
London£29,000 (small sample)
East of England£28,300 (small sample)
West Midlands£27,200 (small sample)
North West£26,800 (small sample)
South West£26,700 (small sample)
East MidlandsNot published by ONS
WalesNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £24,600
  • 2024 £27,500
  • 2025 Provisional£29,600
↑ 20% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 291 jobs for parking and civil enforcement occupations are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as not high.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (2 in all)
Show as table
Aug 2026284
Jul 2026338
Jun 2026Not published
May 2026285
Apr 2026317
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 2026316
Jan 2026253
Dec 2025147
Nov 2025261
Oct 2025324
Sept 2025385
Aug 2025409
Jul 2025364
Jun 2025393
May 2025392
Apr 2025386
Mar 2025493
Feb 2025326
Jan 2025407
Dec 2024236
Nov 2024373
Oct 2024455
Sept 2024404
Aug 2024379
Jul 2024364
Jun 2024357
May 2024354
Apr 2024322
Mar 2024257
Feb 2024232
Jan 2024278
Dec 2023203
Nov 2023180
Oct 2023216
Sept 2023193
Aug 2023250
Jul 2023305
Jun 2023488
May 2023426
Apr 2023377
Mar 2023408
Feb 2023396
Jan 2023428
Dec 2022346
Nov 2022372
Oct 2022404
Sept 2022370
Aug 2022421
Jul 2022480
Jun 2022394
May 2022533
Apr 2022377
Mar 2022548
Feb 2022465
Jan 2022476
Dec 2021369
Nov 2021435
Oct 2021441
Sept 2021407
Aug 2021370
Jul 2021450
Jun 2021356
May 2021331
Apr 2021276
Mar 2021344
Feb 2021206
Jan 2021179
Dec 2020188
Nov 2020223
Oct 2020322
Sept 2020269
Aug 2020288
Jul 2020240
Jun 2020197
May 202069
Apr 2020126
Mar 2020212
Feb 2020293
Jan 2020288
Dec 2019168
Nov 2019213
Oct 2019278
Sept 2019244
Aug 2019274
Jul 2019307
Jun 2019315
May 2019336
Apr 2019259
Mar 2019259
Feb 2019256
Jan 2019295
Dec 2018179
Nov 2018286
Oct 2018298
Sept 2018294
Aug 2018340
Jul 2018289
Jun 2018311
May 2018185
Apr 2018193
Mar 2018225
Feb 2018241
Jan 2018241
Dec 2017161
Nov 2017255
Oct 2017290
Sept 2017244
Aug 2017283
Jul 2017262
Jun 2017368
May 2017364
Apr 2017360
Mar 2017420
Feb 2017325
Jan 2017378
Is there a shortage of parking and civil enforcement occupations?
Not high

The Department for Education rates demand as not high, elevated or critical, using five indicators. This is its 2025 assessment.

  • Visas grantedUsual
  • Online job advertsUsual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Note: uncertainty in change in hourly wage.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
30%against 27% for all jobs
Broader groupFigure for caring, leisure and other service occupations, which includes parking and civil enforcement occupations. DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London116
Manchester16
Somerset16
Sheffield13
Leeds12
Birmingham12
City of Edinburgh11
Bradford9
Doncaster9
Glasgow City9
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where parking and civil enforcement occupations are most concentratedShare of local job adverts, compared with the UK.

Recruitment from abroad. Fewer than 10 sponsored work visas were granted for this job from July 2025 to June 2026. Home Office

Who does it

ONS · Annual Population Survey · April 2025 to March 2026
WomenToo few in the survey to give a reliable figure
Age of parking and civil enforcement occupations
n/p
n/p
n/p
n/p
n/p
n/p
n/p: too few in the survey to publish
Show as table
16–24Not published
25–34Not published
35–44Not published
45–54Not published
55–64Not published
65+Not published
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent!43%
Higher education below degree–
Not published
A levels or equivalent!45%
GCSEs or equivalent!90%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent43% (small sample)
Higher education below degreeNot published
A levels or equivalent45% (small sample)
GCSEs or equivalent90% (small sample)

Main employers: general public administration activities (58%), service activities incidental to land transportation (51%), public order and safety activities (35%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
43%
as their highest qualification
Most common qualification
GCSEs or equivalent
held by 90%
Apprenticeships
1
from level 4
Apprenticeships take
2 years
typically

Routes in

Civil enforcement officer

You can get into this job by applying directly.

Apply directly

There are no set qualifications to become a civil enforcement officer.

Experience of working in a customer service role is highly valued and could help you get into this job.

Once you start work, your employer will provide training. This will cover subjects like:

  • parking enforcement policy
  • traffic regulations
  • evidence collection
  • permits, waivers and exemptions

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

Some civil enforcement jobs can include environmental reporting, like littering or fly tipping.

Further information

You can find out more about working as a civil enforcement officer from the British Parking Association.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for civil enforcement officer. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Neighbourhood warden

You can get into this job through:

Apprenticeship

You could apply for a place on a Community Safety Adviser Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship, or an Anti-Social Behaviour and Community Safety Officer Higher Apprenticeship.

These can take between 1 and 2 years to complete, and are a mix of learning on the job and study with a training provider.

Entry requirements

To get onto an apprenticeship, you'll find it useful to have:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship

Other ways in

Work your way up

You might be able to join an organisation and work your way into this role through training or promotion. Typical employers include housing associations, local authorities and security companies.

Volunteering

You could search Do-it for volunteering opportunities where you could develop the skills needed to apply for a job as a neighbourhood warden.

Opportunities may be offered by your local council or other organisations working with people with issues like homelessness, substance misuse, or anti-social behaviour.

Apply directly

You could apply directly for jobs as a neighbourhood warden. Employers will expect you to have a good general standard of education, and some may look for GCSEs in English and maths. Experience of working with the public will be very useful.

Employers will often focus on your personal qualities and people skills. It may be an advantage to have a clear understanding of the issues faced by the community you'll be working in.

You'll usually have induction training, lasting around 12 weeks, while you get to know your area and the issues you might face.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

You may need to be aged 21 or over and have a driving licence for some jobs. This is so that you can be insured to use a company vehicle.

Registration and professional bodies

Further information

You can find out more about being a neighbourhood warden from your local council.

Routes in are from the National Careers Service job profile for neighbourhood warden. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Apprenticeships

1 for this job
Level 4About 2 years

Anti-social behaviour and community safety officer

Employers may ask for
Typically an apprentice might be expected to have a full UK driving licence.
Details on Skills England

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Other qualifications

QualificationTypeLevel
FdSc Criminology, Policing and Criminal LawHigher technical5

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • patrols assigned area to detect vehicles parked in no-parking zones and vehicles parked in excess of permitted time in restricted parking zones
  • warns offenders or issues tickets
  • advises motorists on local parking facilities and directs them as required
  • notes any cases of obstruction, evasion of tax or other infringement and reports them to the police
  • gives evidence in court as required
  • regulates entry/exit of vehicles to and from car parks and may park cars
  • issues and examines tickets in car parks, collects charges and gives change

Skills

  • maintain customer service
  • communicate with customers
  • greet guests
  • manage lost and found articles
  • handle linen in stock
  • handle surveillance equipment
  • manage emergency evacuation plans
  • announce amusement park attractions
  • assist amusement park visitors
  • clean amusement park facilities
  • direct amusement park clients
  • hang advertising posters
  • maintain cleaning equipment
  • monitor amusement park safety

Knowledge

  • fire safety regulations
  • amusement park emergency procedures
  • cleaning techniques

Suits people who like

  • Organising and following procedures
  • Practical, hands-on work

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for community and civil enforcement occupations, a group of 2 jobs that includes parking and civil enforcement occupations.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 13%about 5,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 203511,000including people replacing those who retire or leave

Sources

Pay
ONS, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
People in the job, who does it
ONS, Annual Population Survey, April 2025 to March 2026
Job adverts
ONS, online job adverts (Textkernel), to Aug 2026
Demand, skill shortages
Department for Education and Skills England, Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey
Outlook
The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE
Routes in
National Careers Service job profiles
Apprenticeships, qualifications
Skills England occupational maps
Skills, interests
ESCO classification of the European Commission; O*NET data, U.S. Department of Labor (CC BY 4.0, modified)
Visas
Home Office, immigration system statistics

Figures as of 10 October 2026.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Occupations in demand and the Employer Skills Survey: Department for Education and Skills England. Immigration system statistics: Home Office. Contains public sector information from the National Careers Service licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

© Skills England 2025. This information is licensed under the Open Government Licence https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Source: The Skills Imperative 2035 (2024), NFER/Nuffield/DfE/IER/CE.

This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission.

This service includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. This service has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. CC BY 4.0 licence.

jobfacts is independent. It is not part of, affiliated with or endorsed by the Office for National Statistics, the Department for Education, Skills England, the National Careers Service, the Home Office, the European Commission or the U.S. Department of Labor.