Forklift / Counterbalance Driver salary
Nationally, a forklift / counterbalance driver earns roughly £27,000 to £32,000, with a midpoint of £29,000. Where the job is makes a real difference, so here's the same role by area. Increased low and median to reflect current market rates for skilled operational roles, within 8%.
| Area | Lower | Typical | Upper |
|---|---|---|---|
| London and the Thames Gateway | £30,700 | £33,000 | £36,400 |
| Cambridge and Cambridgeshire | £27,900 | £30,000 | £33,100 |
| Felixstowe | £27,300 | £29,300 | £32,400 |
| Colchester and north Essex | £26,900 | £28,800 | £31,800 |
| Ipswich | £26,600 | £28,500 | £31,500 |
| Wider Suffolk | £26,100 | £28,000 | £30,900 |
| Norfolk and Great Yarmouth | £26,100 | £28,000 | £30,900 |
Source: Published 2026 warehouse pay guides (update), October 2026. Area figures apply published regional pay differences; operational roles move less between areas because of the wage floor.
What we've actually advertised
Across 8 comparable vacancies on our own books, the midpoint was £32,500 (range £30,000 to £50,000). A sense-check, not the benchmark.
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