UK Payroll Employment Falls to Lowest Since 2020

The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom fell by 11 thousand to 30.3 million in January 2026, following a downwardly revised 6 thousand drop in the previous month. This marked the fifth straight month of decline. Compared with the same month last year, payrolled employment dropped by 0.4%, or 134 thousand. The largest decrease was recorded in the wholesale and retail sector (-65 thousand), while the biggest rise was in the health and social work sector (+39 thousand). Across NUTS3 regions, Westminster saw a 2.7% fall in payrolled employees, whereas Mid Ulster registered a 2.3% increase. Meanwhile, the median monthly pay rose by 4.6% year-on-year to £2,588. Growth in median pay was highest in the wholesale and retail sector (+6.2%) and lowest in the finance and insurance sector (+2.1%).

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%).