How to become a retail cashier or check-out operator

Official title: Retail cashiers and check-out operators

Also called: Cashier, Checker-out, Shop cashier, Chief cashier, Sales cashier, Epos operator, Till operator, Consol operator, Checkout cashier, Console operator, Scanner operator, Forecourt cashier

Retail cashiers and check-out operators accept payments from customers and give change in respect of sales or services.

Main tasks

• Records cost of each item on cash register or by use of bar code reader and totals the amount to be paid
• Receives cash, cheque or debit or credit card payment, checks validity of form of payment, gives change and issues receipts for purchase
• Debits customer’s account in respect of purchases or services
• Monitors fuel taken by self-service customers or refuels vehicle if required
• Maintains transaction records as requested

How to become one

There are no minimum academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades or relevant experience. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational Operations in Retail Operations are available at levels 1 and 2.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £24,622 a year The middle half earn £21,251 to £27,456.
• About 150,100 people work in this job now, and about 142,700 are projected by 2035. (-4.9%)

Related jobs

• Sales and retail assistants
• Telephone salespersons
• Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants
• Vehicle and parts salespersons and advisers

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Questions people ask

How do I become a retail cashier or check-out operator?

There are no minimum academic requirements although some employers may require GCSEs/S grades or relevant experience. Training is typically provided on-the-job. Vocational Operations in Retail Operations are available at levels 1 and 2.

How much does a retail cashier or check-out operator earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £24,622 a year (Office for National Statistics). The middle half earn £21,251 to £27,456.

Is a retail cashier or check-out operator a growing career in the UK?

Employment is projected to fall 5% by 2035, from about 150,100 to about 142,700 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a retail cashier or check-out operator?

Usually not. Only 12% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03