jobfacts

Records clerks and assistants

SOC 2020 4131

Records clerks and assistants maintain and update electronic and/or hard copy documents, correspondence and other records, and organise their storage.

Also calledHealth records clerkMedical records clerkIndexerContracts administratorRecords clerkCheckerand 192 more titles
Typical full-time pay£28,7002025 Provisional
People in the job157,000across the UK
Demand for workersElevated
New adverts a month6,900↓ 1.5%on last year · 21st of 412

Pay

ONS · ASHE 2025

Half of full-time records clerks and assistants earn between £25,500 and £33,200 a year.

What full-time records clerks and assistants earn, 2025
£28,700 typical£23,000lowest 10%£25,50025%£35,100top 20%n/ptop 10%
Middle half (£25,500–£33,200)n/p: top 10% not published by ONS
Show as table
Lowest 10% earn less than£23,000
Lowest 20% earn less than£24,700
25%£25,500
Median£28,700
75%£33,200
Top 20% earn more than£35,100
Top 10% earn more thanNot published
Typical pay by regionUK median £28,700
London£34,200
Scotland£29,400
East of England£28,700
West Midlands£28,200
Wales!£28,200
South East£28,100
South West£27,200
Yorkshire and The Humber£26,500
North East£26,400
East Midlands£24,900
North WestNot published by ONS–
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
UK median, £28,700
London£34,200
Scotland£29,400
East of England£28,700
West Midlands£28,200
Wales£28,200 (small sample)
South East£28,100
South West£27,200
Yorkshire and The Humber£26,500
North East£26,400
East Midlands£24,900
North WestNot published by ONS
Typical pay over 3 years
  • 2023 £25,200
  • 2024 £27,300
  • 2025 Provisional£28,700
↑ 14% since 2023Provisional figures are revised when ONS publishes the next year’s survey.

Jobs and demand

ONS · Textkernel adverts · DfE

About 6,900 jobs for records clerks and assistants are advertised each month. The Department for Education rates demand for workers as elevated.

New job adverts a month, Jan 2017 to Aug 2026
New advertsMonth not published by ONS (1 in all)
Show as table
Aug 20267,857
Jul 20268,034
Jun 20268,889
May 20266,627
Apr 20266,312
Mar 2026Not published
Feb 20265,973
Jan 20266,524
Dec 20253,788
Nov 20257,587
Oct 20257,181
Sept 20257,145
Aug 20257,167
Jul 20257,564
Jun 20257,372
May 20258,126
Apr 20256,290
Mar 20257,353
Feb 20257,522
Jan 20256,989
Dec 20244,480
Nov 20246,496
Oct 20247,307
Sept 20247,766
Aug 20247,901
Jul 20248,773
Jun 20248,253
May 20249,685
Apr 20249,222
Mar 20248,168
Feb 20248,008
Jan 20249,459
Dec 20236,693
Nov 20237,823
Oct 20237,932
Sept 20237,933
Aug 20239,233
Jul 20239,604
Jun 202312,855
May 202312,161
Apr 202310,666
Mar 202313,845
Feb 202312,261
Jan 202313,293
Dec 202211,553
Nov 202214,541
Oct 202215,357
Sept 202215,351
Aug 202215,982
Jul 202216,588
Jun 202214,341
May 202215,971
Apr 202213,087
Mar 202216,384
Feb 202214,194
Jan 202215,197
Dec 202111,848
Nov 202113,316
Oct 202113,582
Sept 202113,160
Aug 202111,522
Jul 202112,325
Jun 202110,759
May 202110,529
Apr 20218,418
Mar 202111,317
Feb 20217,195
Jan 20217,348
Dec 20205,774
Nov 20206,520
Oct 20206,658
Sept 20205,863
Aug 20204,992
Jul 20204,706
Jun 20203,856
May 20202,978
Apr 20204,611
Mar 20208,841
Feb 202011,740
Jan 202010,945
Dec 20197,704
Nov 20199,801
Oct 201911,097
Sept 201910,753
Aug 201913,488
Jul 201913,067
Jun 201911,817
May 201912,162
Apr 20199,215
Mar 201910,550
Feb 20199,741
Jan 201911,340
Dec 20186,969
Nov 20189,940
Oct 201810,456
Sept 201810,443
Aug 20189,581
Jul 20189,329
Jun 20189,764
May 20189,670
Apr 20188,863
Mar 201810,129
Feb 20188,947
Jan 201810,455
Dec 20176,643
Nov 20179,009
Oct 20179,254
Sept 20179,277
Aug 20179,702
Jul 20179,357
Jun 201711,228
May 201710,659
Apr 201710,446
Mar 201712,581
Feb 201710,251
Jan 201712,778
Is there a shortage of records clerks and assistants?
Elevated

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

  • Visas grantedUsual
  • Online job advertsWell above usual
  • Wage growthAbove usual
  • Pay against similar jobsUsual
  • Hours workedAbove usual
Note: uncertain in multiple indicators: change in hourly wage, visa density.
Vacancies hard to fill because of skills
0.6%against 27% for all jobs
DfE Employer Skills Survey 2024.
Where the most jobs are advertisedadverts a quarter
London2,838
Birmingham484
Manchester467
Leeds378
Bristol, City of348
Glasgow City267
North Yorkshire231
Nottingham216
Sheffield199
Somerset191
London is published as one area. Averages leave out quarters ONS withheld.
Where records clerks and assistants 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
Age of records clerks and assistants
11%!
22%
18%
21%
24%
5.3%!
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
16–2411% (small sample)
25–3422%
35–4418%
45–5421%
55–6424%
65+5.3% (small sample)
Highest qualification
Degree or equivalent36%
Higher education below degree6.8%
A levels or equivalent26%
GCSEs or equivalent20%
Other qualifications!4.7%
No qualifications!3.1%
!Small sample: treat with caution
Show as table
Degree or equivalent36%
Higher education below degree6.8%
A levels or equivalent26%
GCSEs or equivalent20%
Other qualifications4.7% (small sample)
No qualifications3.1% (small sample)

Main employers: hospital activities (22%), regulation of the activities of providing health care, education, cultural services and other social services, excluding social security (14%), general public administration activities (4.2%), other human health activities (4.1%).

How to get in

Hold a degree
36%
as their highest qualification
Apprenticeships
None
none leads directly into this work

Routes in

Health records clerk

You can get into this job through:

College

You could take a college course to learn some of the skills and knowledge needed in this job.

Courses include:

  • business administration
  • International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) Certificate in IT User Skills (previously ECDL)
  • T Level in Management and Administration
Entry requirements

Entry requirements for these courses vary.

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level

Apprenticeship

You could apply to do an apprenticeship with a GP practice, hospital or commercial healthcare company. Options include:

  • Retail Service, Supply and Administration Level 2 Foundation Apprenticeship
  • Administration Assistant Level 2 Intermediate Apprenticeship
  • Business Administrator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Clinical Coder Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • no specific qualifications or experience to apply for a foundation apprenticeship
  • some GCSEs, usually including English and maths, or equivalent, for an intermediate apprenticeship
  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
More about this route
Foundation apprenticeship

You can apply for a foundation apprenticeship if you're aged 16 to 21.

If you're aged 22 to 24, you can apply if you:

  • have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
  • are in care or have been in care
  • are in prison or have been in prison

Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs. Employers may ask for GCSEs, such as English and maths, at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C).

It will also help if you have experience in office work, including typing documents and working on spreadsheets.

Customer service skills can also be helpful.

What you’ll need

  • pass enhanced background checks

Registration and professional bodies

Professional and industry bodies

You can find professional development and training opportunities if you join an organisation like the:

  • Institute of Health Records and Information Management
  • British Society of Medical Secretaries and Administrators (BSMSA)
  • Association of Medical Secretaries, Practice Managers, Administrators and Receptionists (AMSPAR)
Further information

You can find out more about how to become a health records clerk from Health Careers.

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

Indexer

You can get into this job through:

University

You could study for a degree at university to give yourself a strong foundation to build upon. Relevant subjects include:

  • English
  • information management
  • library studies
  • data asset management
  • publishing

Other subjects may also be acceptable to employers.

If you want to work in a specialist area, for example science or law, you'll usually need a degree or postgraduate qualification in that field to gain the in-depth subject knowledge required for indexing.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
  • a degree in any subject for a postgraduate course

Apprenticeship

You may be able to apply to do an apprenticeship, such as:

  • Information and Archive Services Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship
  • Publishing Professional Level 4 Higher Apprenticeship

This could help you find a trainee position with an organisation. Once working, you could take further training in indexing.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 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

Apply directly

You can apply directly for jobs. Many indexers have a higher education qualification like a degree, although this is not always essential.

Often, indexers start this work as a second career, using the experience and in-depth knowledge they've built up from their main area of work.

A background in publishing, data management or editorial work can be useful.

Other routes

You can do a training course with the Society of Indexers by distance learning. This is a combination of online tutorials, assignments and assessments and includes:

  • indexing terminology
  • cross-referencing
  • indexing books, periodicals and websites
  • computerised search systems

When you've successfully completed the course you'll be awarded accredited indexer status, which is recognised by employers as a first stage towards becoming a professional indexer.

Registration and professional bodies

Career tips

The Society of Indexers runs short workshops, which give an overview of indexing together with practical exercises. These are useful for anyone who may be thinking of taking up indexing as a career.

They also offer workshops on being a freelance indexer and establishing an indexing business.

Further information

You can find out more about indexing as a career from the Society of Indexers.

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

The work

ONS · ESCO · O*NET

Typical tasks

  • examines and sorts incoming material
  • classifies, files, archives and locates documents and other records
  • copies or duplicates documents or other records
  • performs specialised clerical tasks in connection with conveyancing, litigation and the maintenance of medical records

Skills

  • handle financial transactions
  • trace financial transactions
  • maintain records of financial transactions
  • perform clerical duties
  • communicate with customers
  • obtain financial information
  • offer financial services
  • provide financial product information
  • use office systems
  • communicate with banking professionals
  • handle paperwork
  • perform office routine activities
  • present reports
  • write work-related reports

Knowledge

  • banking activities
  • electronic communication
  • office software
  • accounting techniques
  • customer service
  • fraud detection
  • tax legislation
  • accounting department processes

Suits people who like

  • Organising and following procedures
  • Leading and persuading

Outlook

DfE · Skills Imperative 2035
Broader groupThese projections are for administrative occupations, a group of 20 jobs that includes records clerks and assistants.
Change in jobs, 2020 to 2035↓ 12%about 381,000 fewer jobs
Workers needed by 20351 millionincluding 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.