UK AI Job-Risk Index · SOC 2010 9211
Ranks #249 of 293 for AI exposure (1 = most exposed)
How exposed to AI are postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers?
18/100
AI exposure score (percentile across all 365 occupations DfE scored)
Very low#249
of 293 UK occupations (1 = most exposed)
£24,019
median full-time pay (ONS ASHE 2020) · 37,000 employee jobs
Postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers sits in the very low exposure band: its abilities overlap with current AI applications more than about 18% of the 365 UK occupations the Department for Education scored. Lower exposure usually means more of the work depends on physical, practical or in-person abilities that current AI applications do not cover well. It does not mean the job will be untouched by technology.
Underlying scores: AIOE (all AI) -1.10, LLM exposure -0.94 (standardised; 0 is the average occupation). Skill level: Level 1. Pay and job counts are 2020 figures, so use them to compare occupations rather than as current salaries.
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Job titles in this occupation
Titles the ONS SOC 2010 coding index places in unit group 9211 (30 of 48 shown). If your job title is here, this page uses the right figures for you.
phg · postie · courier · postman · messenger · order lad · paper boy · postwoman · post clerk · mail sorter · post sorter · bank courier · delivery boy · head postman · postal cadet · postal clerk · letter sorter · newspaper boy · parcel sorter · postal sorter · postal worker · works postman · book deliverer · delivery agent · dispatch rider · driver-postman · head messenger · head postwoman · mailroom clerk · parcel handler
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Lower-risk related jobs
Occupations in the same SOC 2010 sub-major group with a lower AI exposure score, highest-paid first. Pay difference is against £24,019 (ONS ASHE 2020 median, full-time). Switching usually needs retraining; this is a starting point, not advice.
| Occupation | Exposure | Median pay | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refuse and salvage occupations | 16/100 | £20,628 | −£3,391 |
| Street cleaners | 6/100 | £20,244 | −£3,775 |
| Vehicle valeters and cleaners | 2/100 | £19,976 | −£4,043 |
| Bar staff | 10/100 | £18,144 | −£5,875 |
| Cleaners and domestics | 2/100 | £17,899 | −£6,120 |
Occupations with similar exposure
- Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians (18/100)
- Merchandisers and window dressers (19/100)
- Plumbers and heating and ventilating engineers (18/100)
- Plastics process operatives (18/100)
← #248 Merchandisers and window dressers · #250 Vehicle technicians, mechanics and electricians →
FAQ: Postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers and AI
Will AI replace postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers?
The index does not predict job losses. Postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers has an AI exposure score of 18/100 (very low band), ranking #249 of 293 UK occupations, where 1 is the most exposed. Lower exposure means more of the work relies on abilities current AI applications cover less well.
How does this compare with similar jobs?
Postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers is one of 16 occupations in its SOC 2010 sub-major group in the index; 9 of the others are more exposed to AI.
How much do postal workers, mail sorters, messengers and couriers earn?
Median gross annual pay for full-time employees was £24,019 in ONS ASHE 2020 (Table 14), across about 37,000 employee jobs. These are 2020 figures, so use them to compare jobs rather than as current salaries.
Which related jobs are less exposed to AI?
In the same sub-major group, lower-exposure occupations include Refuse and salvage occupations (16/100, £20,628), Street cleaners (6/100, £20,244), Vehicle valeters and cleaners (2/100, £19,976).
Where does this data come from?
AI exposure uses Department for Education (2023) AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) scores; pay and job counts come from ONS ASHE 2020. Job titles come from the ONS SOC 2010 coding index.
Source: Department for Education (2023), The impact of AI on UK jobs and training (AIOE scores); ONS ASHE 2020 Table 14; job titles from the ONS SOC 2010 coding index (v7). Exposure is not a prediction of job loss. Methodology · Embed this data
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