Jobs That Will Be Replaced by AI: What the UK Data Actually Says
The 30 UK occupations most exposed to AI
| Rank of 365 | Occupation group (SOC 2010) | Skill level | Rank for LLMs | ILO flag |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Management consultants and business analysts (2423) | 4 | 10 | |
| 2 | Financial managers and directors (1131) | 4 | 25 | |
| 3 | Chartered and certified accountants (2421) | 4 | 46 | |
| 4 | Psychologists (2212) | 4 | 3 | |
| 5 | Purchasing managers and directors (1133) | 4 | 24 | High augmentation |
| 6 | Actuaries, economists and statisticians (2425) | 4 | 38 | |
| 7 | Business and financial project management professionals (2424) | 4 | 33 | |
| 8 | Finance and investment analysts and advisers (3534) | 3 | 26 | |
| 9 | Legal professionals n.e.c. (2419) | 4 | 6 | |
| 10 | Business and related associate professionals n.e.c. (3539) | 3 | 35 | |
| 11 | Credit controllers (4121) | 2 | 7 | |
| 12 | Solicitors (2413) | 4 | 2 | |
| 13 | Civil engineers (2121) | 4 | 76 | |
| 14 | Education advisers and school inspectors (2318) | 4 | 16 | High augmentation |
| 15 | Human resources administrative occupations (4138) | 2 | 8 | High automation |
| 16 | Business, research and administrative professionals n.e.c. (2429) | 4 | 48 | |
| 17 | Financial accounts managers (3538) | 3 | 67 | |
| 18 | Book-keepers, payroll managers and wages clerks (4122) | 2 | 52 | High automation |
| 19 | National government administrative occupations (4112) | 2 | 18 | |
| 20 | Marketing associate professionals (3543) | 3 | 21 | |
| 21 | Brokers (3532) | 3 | 30 | High automation |
| 22 | Financial and accounting technicians (3537) | 3 | 59 | |
| 23 | Human resource managers and directors (1135) | 4 | 17 | |
| 24 | Insurance underwriters (3533) | 3 | 27 | |
| 25 | Information technology and telecommunications directors (1136) | 4 | 57 | |
| 25 | IT project and programme managers (2134) | 4 | 57 | High augmentation |
| 27 | Vocational and industrial trainers and instructors (3563) | 3 | 19 | |
| 28 | Marketing and sales directors (1132) | 4 | 43 | |
| 29 | Market research interviewers (7215) | 2 | 11 | High automation |
| 30 | Public relations professionals (2472) | 4 | 9 |
Rank 1 = most exposed. Source: Department for Education (Nov 2023): The impact of AI on UK jobs and training, Annex 1, AI Occupational Exposure method (Felten, Raj and Seamans, 2023). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Exposure is not a prediction of job loss. Check your own role's tasks.
What the UK Government's Own Research Found
In November 2023, the Department for Education published a report on the impact of AI on UK jobs and training [1]. It used an AI Occupational Exposure (AIOE) score — a method that maps the abilities a job requires against ten AI applications — to rank all 365 UK occupation groups.
A few things stand out from that research [1]:
- Exposure is about the tasks a job involves, not whether AI will definitely replace it. High exposure means AI can do a lot of what the job requires — not that everyone in that role will lose their job tomorrow.
- Degree-level (skill level 4) occupations are more exposed than lower-skilled ones — the opposite of what many people expect.
- Finance and insurance is the most exposed sector, followed by information and communication, and professional, scientific and technical services.
- London and the South East have the highest exposure overall; the North East the lowest — but differences between occupations matter far more than geography.
- Earlier estimates cited in the report put 10–30% of jobs as potentially automatable [1].
The report is careful to note that high exposure does not mean replacement. AI may augment many of these roles — handling routine parts of the work while humans focus on judgement, relationships and complexity. But for some tasks within these jobs, displacement is already happening.
The Official List of Jobs That Will Be Replaced by AI (UK Rankings)
Below are the 20 UK occupations ranked most exposed to AI, drawn directly from the DfE report [1]. These are the roles where AI can perform the greatest share of the required tasks.
| Rank | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Management consultants and business analysts |
| 2 | Financial managers and directors |
| 3 | Chartered and certified accountants |
| 4 | Psychologists |
| 5 | Purchasing managers and directors |
| 6 | Actuaries, economists and statisticians |
| 7 | Business and financial project management professionals |
| 8 | Finance and investment analysts and advisers |
| 9 | Legal professionals (n.e.c.) |
| 10 | Business and related associate professionals (n.e.c.) |
| 11 | Credit controllers |
| 12 | Solicitors |
| 13 | Civil engineers |
| 14 | Education advisers and school inspectors |
| 15 | Human resources administrative occupations |
| 16 | Business, research and administrative professionals (n.e.c.) |
| 17 | Financial accounts managers |
| 18 | Bookkeepers, payroll managers and wages clerks |
| 19 | National government administrative occupations |
| 20 | Marketing associate professionals |
For large language models specifically, the most exposed groups shift slightly: telephone salespersons, solicitors, psychologists, further education teaching professionals and market and street traders top that list [1].
If your role appears here, that does not mean you are about to be made redundant. It means the tasks your job involves are ones AI is increasingly capable of handling. The practical question is: which parts of your role are routine, and which require human judgement?
Which Jobs Are Least Exposed to AI Replacement?
The same DfE research ranks the 20 UK occupations least exposed to AI [1]. These roles share a common thread: they involve physical presence, unpredictable environments, or hands-on manual skill that AI cannot replicate remotely.
| Rank (1 = least exposed) | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 1 | Sports players |
| 2 | Roofers, roof tilers and slaters |
| 3 | Elementary construction occupations |
| 4 | Plasterers |
| 5 | Steel erectors |
| 6 | Vehicle valeters and cleaners |
| 7 | Hospital porters |
| 8 | Cleaners and domestics |
| 9 | Floorers and wall tilers |
| 10 | Metal plate workers and riveters |
| 11 | Launderers, dry cleaners and pressers |
| 12 | Window cleaners |
| 13 | Painters and decorators |
| 14 | Fork-lift truck drivers |
| 15 | Packers, bottlers, canners and fillers |
| 16 | Gardeners and landscape gardeners |
| 17 | Bricklayers and masons |
| 18 | Road construction operatives |
| 19 | Elementary process plant occupations (n.e.c.) |
| 20 | Tyre, exhaust and windscreen fitters |
Notice that many of these are trades and physical service roles. They require dexterity, spatial awareness, real-world problem-solving and often direct human contact. Robotics may eventually reach some of them, but the timeline is far longer than for desk-based knowledge work.
For a broader look at roles that hold up well, see our guide to AI-proof jobs and how to find yours.
What Jobs Will AI Replace by 2030? Reading the Predictions Carefully
'AI job replacement predictions' vary enormously depending on who is making them and what methodology they use. The DfE report cites earlier estimates of 10–30% of jobs being automatable [1], but notes that exposure and replacement are different things. A job can be highly exposed to AI — meaning AI can do many of its tasks — while still being performed by humans who add context, accountability and relationships.
What is more useful than a single headline figure is understanding the pattern of which tasks are at risk:
- Routine data processing: entering, checking and moving structured data. Already being automated in finance, HR and administration.
- Standardised written outputs: first drafts of reports, summaries, standard correspondence. Language models handle these well.
- Rule-based decision-making: credit scoring, basic legal document review, insurance underwriting at the simpler end.
- Telephone and chat-based customer service: scripted interactions, FAQs, appointment booking.
- Basic financial processing: payroll runs, invoice matching, expense categorisation.
By contrast, tasks that involve navigating ambiguity, building trust, exercising professional judgement in novel situations, or working with the physical world are far more durable. The question for most workers is not 'will my job disappear?' but 'which parts of my job will change, and what skills do I need to stay relevant?'
Not sure where your role sits? The AI Threat Score gives you a personalised exposure estimate in about 60 seconds — free, no sign-up, no card. It's an estimate, not a prediction, but it's a useful starting point.
A Practical Checklist: What to Do If Your Job Is on the Exposed List
If your occupation appears in the high-exposure list, here is what to do — not in a panic, but methodically.
- Audit your current tasks. Write down everything you do in a typical week. Mark each task as routine/repeatable or judgement-based/relational. The routine ones are where your exposure is highest. Use the Skills Audit to map what you actually bring to the role.
- Identify what AI cannot do in your specific context. Even in highly exposed roles, there are tasks that require professional accountability, client relationships, ethical judgement or institutional knowledge. These are your anchor points.
- Build skills that sit above the automation line. Stakeholder management, strategic thinking, complex communication, cross-functional leadership, and the ability to use AI tools well are all in demand. The irony is that knowing how to work with AI is itself a protective skill.
- Update your CV to reflect your human-value tasks. If your CV reads like a list of things AI can now do, it will not serve you well. Reframe your experience around outcomes, decisions and relationships. CV Studio can help you tailor your CV to specific roles without inventing anything.
- Check your LinkedIn profile. Recruiters and hiring managers search for people who can navigate change. A profile that signals adaptability and human-centred skills matters more now than it did three years ago. The LinkedIn Audit can flag gaps.
- Run a job-fit check before you apply. If you are considering a move to a less exposed role, the CV job-fit check compares your CV against a specific job and shows you where your experience supports the role and where the gaps are.
- Practise talking about change. Interviewers in exposed sectors are increasingly asking candidates how they use AI, how they have adapted to change, and what they do that AI cannot. Prepare answers using the STAR method — STAR method examples can help you structure them.
- Consider a skills-based career pivot. If your sector is heavily exposed and you want to move, a career change does not have to mean starting from scratch. Many skills transfer further than people realise.
If you have recently been made redundant from a role in an exposed sector, the Redundancy Support programme gives you three months of Plus access free — no card required.
Sectors Most and Least Exposed to AI in the UK
The DfE research also ranks UK sectors by AI exposure [1]. This matters if you are thinking about a move between industries, not just between roles.
| Exposure level | Sectors |
|---|---|
| Highest | Finance and insurance; information and communication; professional, scientific and technical; property; public administration and defence; education |
| Lowest | Accommodation and food services; motor trades; agriculture, forestry and fishing; transport and storage; construction |
A few observations worth noting:
- Public administration and defence sitting in the high-exposure group is significant for UK civil servants. Many administrative and analytical roles in government involve exactly the kind of structured information processing that AI handles well. If you work in the civil service, it is worth understanding your specific exposure — see our civil service resources.
- Education appearing in the high-exposure group does not mean teachers will be replaced. It reflects that some tasks — marking, lesson planning, administrative work — are highly exposed. The human relationship at the core of teaching is far more durable.
- NHS and healthcare roles sit in a mixed position. Clinical roles involving physical examination, complex diagnosis and patient relationships are less exposed. Administrative and data-processing roles within the NHS are more exposed. See our NHS career resources for more context.
- Construction being in the least-exposed group aligns with the occupations table — physical trades are hard to automate at scale with current technology.
Frequently asked questions
Which jobs will be gone by 2030?
No credible source can say with certainty which jobs will be entirely gone by 2030. The UK government's own research [1] identifies highly exposed roles — including bookkeepers, payroll clerks, telephone salespersons and credit controllers — but notes that exposure means AI can perform many of the tasks, not that every role disappears. Most analysts expect significant reshaping rather than wholesale elimination for most occupations.
What jobs are safest from AI replacement?
UK government data [1] puts sports players, roofers, plasterers, hospital porters, cleaners, floorers and other trades at the bottom of the AI exposure ranking. Roles requiring physical dexterity in unpredictable environments, direct human care, or complex real-world judgement are consistently the least exposed. That said, no job is entirely immune — even low-exposure roles may see some tasks change.
Is the list of jobs that will be replaced by AI the same in the UK as in the US?
Broadly similar, but not identical. The UK DfE report [1] uses UK-specific occupation classifications (SOC 2010) and UK labour market data. The pattern — knowledge work, financial processing and routine administration at the top; physical trades and manual services at the bottom — is consistent with international research, but the specific rankings reflect UK job structures and sectors.
Does high AI exposure mean I will lose my job?
Not necessarily. The DfE report [1] is explicit that its exposure score measures how much of a job AI can perform, not whether it will replace the worker. Many highly exposed roles are more likely to be augmented — with AI handling routine parts and humans focusing on judgement, relationships and complexity. The risk is real, but it is not the same as guaranteed redundancy.
How do I find out my personal AI exposure level?
The AI Threat Score gives you a personalised exposure estimate based on your role. It takes about 60 seconds, needs no sign-up and no card. It is an estimate rather than a prediction — a useful starting point for thinking about where your role sits and what to do next.
What skills should I build if my job is highly exposed to AI?
Focus on skills that sit above the automation line: stakeholder management, strategic communication, complex problem-solving, professional judgement and the ability to work effectively with AI tools. The Skills Audit can help you map what you already have and identify gaps. Roles that combine technical knowledge with human-centred skills tend to be more resilient.
Related guides
- Jobs That AI Can't Replace: What the UK Data Actually Shows
Which jobs that AI can't replace are backed by UK data? A guide to the least-exposed roles, why they resist automation, and what to do next.
- AI-Proof Jobs: What They Are and How to Find Yours
Which jobs are least at risk from AI in the UK? Understand what makes a role AI-proof, which are most exposed, and how to check your own position.