Report

Planning Pay for a Steadier Future: A 2026 Pay Trends Survey Report

Get the latest insights from 200+ UK employers on pay budgets, National Living Wage pressure, pay transparency, benefits and the strategies HR teams are using to protect retention.

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The last few years forced rapid pay adjustments. But in 2026, the challenge shifts from reacting to inflation to making clear, defensible trade-offs — especially with budgets under pressure and expectations still high.

This report gives you a clear view of what other UK employers are planning and what it means for your pay strategy.

3 Key Insights from our survey of +200 UK HR and Reward leaders:

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✅ Pay growth is holding steady at around 3%

✅ 42% are planning flat-rate pay awards in 2026

✅ National Living Wage increases are driving pay compression pressure

Download now to learn:

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  • What pay awards UK employers are budgeting for in 2026
  • How HR leaders are responding to NLW-driven pay compression
  • What’s changing fast in pay transparency and pay range publishing
  • The benefits trends HR teams are investing in to support retention

This report is an essential read for any UK HR leader looking to head into 2026 with the right insights to make confident pay decisions!

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