UK Payroll Employment Falls to Lowest Since 2020

The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom dropped by 43 thousand, or 0.1% to 30.2 million in December 2025, following a revised 33 thousand fall in the previous month. This was the fourth consecutive monthly decline and the sharpest since November 2020. Compared with the same month a year earlier, payrolled employment decreased by 0.6%, or 184 thousand. The biggest fall was recorded in the wholesale and retail sector (-72 thousand), while the largest increase was in the health and social work sector (+37 thousand). Across NUTS3 regions, Westminster registered a 3% drop in payrolled employees, whereas Mid Ulster saw a 2% rise. Meanwhile, the median monthly pay increased by 4% year-on-year to £2,555. Growth in median pay was highest in the wholesale and retail sector (+5.9%) and lowest in the education sector (+1.4%).

The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom declined by 38 thousand, or 0.1% to 30.3 million in November 2025, following a revised 22 thousand drop in the previous month. This marked the third consecutive monthly decrease and the steepest since November 2020. Compared with the same month last year, payrolled employment fell by 0.6%, or 171 thousand. The largest decrease occurred in the wholesale and retail sector, which shed 70 thousand employees, while the strongest growth was recorded in health and social work sector, with an increase of 31 thousand. Across NUTS3 regions, Westminster saw the biggest fall in payrolled employees (-2.9%), whereas Mid Ulster recorded the highest increase (+2.1%). Meanwhile, the median monthly pay rose by 2.7% year-on-year to £2,543. The highest growth was seen in the wholesale and retail sector (+6.2%), while the sharpest drop was in the education sector (-3.3%).

The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom fell by 32 thousand, or 0.1% to 30.3 million in October 2025, following a similar revised decline in September. Compared with the same month last year, payrolled employment was down 0.6%, or 180 thousand. The largest increase was recorded in the public administration and defence sector, which added 16 thousand employees, while the biggest decrease was in wholesale and retail, which lost 71 thousand. Regionally, Westminster saw the sharpest drop (-3.3%), whereas Mid Ulster recorded the highest growth (+1.7%). Meanwhile, median monthly pay rose 3.1% year-on-year to £2,538, with the strongest increase in public administration and defence (+6.5%) and the steepest decline in health and social work (-1.9%).