IT Jobs UK
Every UK IT role — from 1st line support to cloud architect — with salary ranges, demand levels, key certifications, and how to maximise callbacks in a competitive tech job market.
IT roles in the UK — salaries and demand
Salary figures are 2026 UK market rates. Remote = regularly available as remote/hybrid.
| Role | Salary | Demand | Remote? |
|---|---|---|---|
| IT Support Analyst (1st/2nd Line) | £22–35k | Very High | Usually office |
| IT Support Engineer (3rd Line) | £32–48k | High | Usually office |
| Software Developer / Engineer | £40–90k | Very High | ✓ Yes |
| DevOps / Platform Engineer | £55–100k | High | ✓ Yes |
| Cloud Architect | £75–130k | High | ✓ Yes |
| Cybersecurity Analyst | £40–75k | Very High | ✓ Yes |
| Data Engineer | £50–90k | Very High | ✓ Yes |
| Network Engineer | £40–70k | High | Usually office |
| IT Project Manager | £50–80k | High | ✓ Yes |
| IT Director / Head of IT | £80–140k | Medium | Usually office |
What each IT role actually involves
IT Support Analyst (1st/2nd Line)
Help desk, ServiceNow, ITIL. CompTIA A+ / ITIL Foundation common. Entry point into IT.
IT Support Engineer (3rd Line)
Infrastructure, server, network. MCSA/CCNA or equivalent.
Software Developer / Engineer
Java, Python, C#, JS/TS. Front/back/full stack. UK tech shortage ongoing.
DevOps / Platform Engineer
Docker, Kubernetes, CI/CD, Terraform. AWS/Azure certifications valued.
Cloud Architect
AWS Solutions Architect, Azure Expert. Hybrid cloud design. 7+ years.
Cybersecurity Analyst
SOC analyst, SIEM, incident response. CEH/CISSP/SC-200 certifications.
Data Engineer
ETL pipelines, Spark, Airflow, Snowflake, dbt. Strong demand across all sectors.
Network Engineer
Cisco CCNA/CCNP, BGP, SD-WAN. Telecoms and large enterprise.
IT Project Manager
PRINCE2/PMP, stakeholder management, RAID logs. Infrastructure or digital transformation.
IT Director / Head of IT
Technology strategy, vendor management, Board reporting. 12+ years experience.
Which sectors are hiring in UK IT
| Sector | Demand | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | Highest | Highest paid — banks, fintechs, insurance. HSBC, Barclays, JPM, Revolut, Monzo. |
| Consulting | Very High | Accenture, Deloitte, Infosys, TCS, Wipro. Projects, billable hours, variety. |
| NHS / Public Sector | High | N3 network, NHS Digital, NHSX. IR35 risk for contractors; perm roles more stable. |
| Retail / E-commerce | High | Tesco, ASOS, M&S, Ocado. Loyalty systems, e-commerce platforms, data pipelines. |
| Startups / Scale-ups | High | High pay + equity — London and remote-first. Product-led, generalist engineers needed. |
How to get callbacks in IT job applications
Certifications unlock salary bands
AWS Solutions Architect (SAA-C03) takes 2–3 months study and opens cloud roles at £60–90k. Azure AZ-104 is faster if your org uses Microsoft. Both cost ~£150 for the exam.
List every technology on your CV
Recruiters ATS-filter on 'Terraform', 'Kubernetes', 'Python'. Don't assume they'll infer from job titles. List every tool, language, framework and platform you've used.
GitHub is your portfolio
For developers, a GitHub profile with 3–5 quality projects is worth more than any certification. Even a well-commented personal project signals you can ship.
Apply at volume
IT roles get 150+ applications in the first 48 hours. Autoply submits to every relevant vacancy the same night it's posted — so your application is in the first wave, not the last.
The IT job market in the UK — 2026
The UK IT job market remains one of the most active hiring environments of any sector. Despite high-profile layoffs in big tech in 2023–24, demand for skilled IT professionals across financial services, consulting, NHS, retail, and startups has continued to grow. The chronic shortage is most acute in cloud, DevOps, cybersecurity, and data engineering — where qualified candidates routinely receive multiple offers.
At the entry level, IT support remains the most reliable path into IT — with progression into 3rd line, infrastructure, and specialist roles common within 2–3 years. At mid-to-senior level, cloud and platform engineering command the strongest salary growth, particularly for those with AWS or Azure certifications and hands-on Kubernetes or Terraform experience.
Contracting vs permanent in UK IT
The IR35 reforms (2021) changed the contracting landscape significantly. Many large organisations moved IT contractors inside IR35, reducing take-home pay by 20–30%. However, genuine outside-IR35 engagements still exist — particularly in consulting, startups, and project-based roles. Day rates for senior contractors remain strong: £500–900/day for cloud architects and senior DevOps, £600–1,200/day for solution architects in financial services.
For most IT professionals under 5 years of experience, permanent roles with structured progression, mentorship, and certification support are the better bet. For experienced specialists with strong portfolios, the contracting market rewards skill directly. Autoply can help you apply across both perm and contract vacancies simultaneously — so you always know your options.
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