18.06.202606:10:54UTC+00UK Payroll Employment Rises 2K in May

The number of payrolled employees in the UK increased by 2,000 to 30.3 million in May 2026, following a revised decline of 53,000 in April. This was the first monthly rise after three consecutive months of falls linked to the Middle East fuel shock. On a year-on-year basis, employment was down 0.4%, equivalent to 119,000 fewer payrolled employees.

By sector, the sharpest decrease occurred in accommodation and food service activities, where employment fell by 80,000, while administrative and support services saw the largest gain, with an increase of 34,000 employees.

At the NUTS3 regional level, Westminster recorded a 2.3% drop in payrolled employees, in contrast to Mid Ulster, which posted a 1.9% rise.

Median monthly pay rose 4.6% year-on-year to £2,626. Wage growth was strongest in the health and social work sector, where median pay increased by 7.0%, and weakest in the finance and insurance sector, with a 1.8% rise.