UK Total Pay Growth Stays Strong

2026-06-18 06:19 By Farida Husna 1 min. read

Total average weekly earnings in the UK, including bonuses, rose 4.1% year-on-year to GBP 753 in the three months to April 2026, matching the upwardly revised increase in the previous period and slightly exceeding market expectations of 4.0%.

The pace remained the fastest since the three months to November 2025.

Private sector wage growth eased marginally to 4.2% from 4.3%, which had been the strongest since the three months to September 2025.

In contrast, public sector pay growth accelerated to 5.2% from 4.9%, rebounding from its weakest pace since late 2024.

Adjusted for inflation, total earnings increased 1.2%, up from 1.1% in the three months to March and marking the strongest real wage growth since the three months to April 2025.



News Stream
UK Total Pay Growth Stays Strong
Total average weekly earnings in the UK, including bonuses, rose 4.1% year-on-year to GBP 753 in the three months to April 2026, matching the upwardly revised increase in the previous period and slightly exceeding market expectations of 4.0%. The pace remained the fastest since the three months to November 2025. Private sector wage growth eased marginally to 4.2% from 4.3%, which had been the strongest since the three months to September 2025. In contrast, public sector pay growth accelerated to 5.2% from 4.9%, rebounding from its weakest pace since late 2024. Adjusted for inflation, total earnings increased 1.2%, up from 1.1% in the three months to March and marking the strongest real wage growth since the three months to April 2025.
2026-06-18
UK Total Pay Growth Above Expectations
Total average weekly earnings in the UK, including bonuses, increased 4.1% year-on-year to GBP 749 in the three months to March 2026, exceeding market estimates of 3.8% and accelerating from a 3.9% increase in the prior period, which had marked the slowest pace since the three months to November 2020. Private sector wage growth quickened to 3.9% from 3.6%, the fastest since late 2025, while public sector pay gains slowed to 4.9%, the lowest since late 2024, after a 5.2% rise previously. Adjusted for inflation, total earnings increased 0.8% over the period, faster than 0.6% gain in the three months to February and marking the strongest growth since late 2025.
2026-05-19
UK Total Pay Growth Above Forecasts
Total average weekly earnings in the UK, including bonuses, increased 3.8% year-on-year to GBP 745 in the three months to February 2026, beating market estimates of 3.6% but slowing from a 4.1% increase in the prior period. This marked the slowest growth since the three months to November 2020. Private sector wage growth cooled to 3.5% from 3.7%, while public sector pay gains also moderated to 5.2%, the lowest since early 2025, after a 6.0% rise previously. Adjusted for inflation, total earnings increased 0.4% over the period, easing from the prior 0.7% and marking the softest growth since mid-2023.
2026-04-21