United Kingdom 2026 Salary Guide Table of contents Our 2026 Salary Guide is based on the analysis of thousands of placements made across the UK over the past year with predictions for the year ahead. 36Legal, risk and compliance 03Introduction 04How to use our salary tables 43Administrative and business support 49Human resources 05UK compensation trends 55Perks and benefits 10Finance and accounting 61Methodology and sources 62About Robert Half 29Marketing and creative 2026 Salary Guide Introduction Whether hiring or building acareer, our 2026 Salary Guidehas you covered. In today’s market, UK employers increasingly prioritise professionals withspecialised skills and sector expertise to drive innovation, boost efficiencyand maintain a competitive edge. This is especially evident in roles linked torevenue generation, operations and business continuity. While some firmsare scaling back on hiring or adjusting salary expectations, others areoffering competitive pay to secure top talent in critical positions. The 2026 Salary Guide from Robert Half offers projected starting salariesacross 6 key professional fields, along with benefits and perks trends. It’s anessential tool for hiring, retention, workforce planning and for professionalsmaking informed career decisions. Hiring managers:Schedule a walk-throughto get customised local salarydata and insights from a Robert Half talent solutions professional. Job seekers:Explore opportunitiesand grow your career with us. 2026 Salary Guide How to use our salary tables 25th 75th 50th Salary percentiles Starting salaries are not one-size-fits-all which is why we separatethem into three percentiles based on multiple factors. Thepercentiles account for differences in experience, skill, professionalcertifications, demand for the role, and the size/complexity of thecompany that’s hiring. The salaries listed in our guide do not includeany bonuses or benefits. The candidate hasan average level ofexperience and hasmost of thenecessary skills. The candidate hasabove-averageexperience, has most orall necessary skills, andmay have specialisedqualifications. The candidate haslimitedor noexperience in theposition and is stilldeveloping their skills. City variances We place candidates across the whole of the UK. Due to the cost ofliving, availability of talent and other factors, starting salaries varyby market. Our 2026 Salary Guide now covers salary data for 24major UK cities. Reach out to yournearest Robert Half officefor alocalised salary report for any of these cities listed. 2026 Salary Guide UK compensation trends Hiring trends and salaries Across the UK, companies are rethinking and recalibrating theircompensation strategies to secure the skilled professionals theyneed to remain both resilient and competitive in a fast-changingenvironment. The pressure to attract top talent is intensifying asdigital transformation accelerates, creating heightened demandfor individuals with specialist expertise. This evolution is notsimply about pay increases, it reflects a broader reassessment ofhow organisations structure rewards, benefits and long-termcareer incentives. As a result, several new salary trends are beginning to take shape,signalling a shift in the balance between employer expectationsand employee aspirations. These insights are informed by ourrecent survey of 500 hiring managers and 1,000 professionals,offering a data-driven perspective on how compensationstrategies are adapting to the realities of today’s labour market. 2026 Salary Guide UK compensation trends1 of 4 Benchmarks set the range, skills raise it While overall salary levels are stabilising, pay remains highly variable across industries, locations and roles. Employers continue to rely onsalarybenchmarking tools to define compensation, but are willing to stretch budgets when candidates bring in-demand, specialised skills to the table.For professionals with niche expertise, market knowledge can be a powerful tool in salary negotiations. of employerssay specialised skills influence theirwillingness to offer higher salaries of employersbase salary ranges on industrybenchmarks and online guides 2026 Salary Guide UK compensation trends2 of 4 Majority would return to the office for higher salary Despite workers’ strong preference for remote or hybrid models, many would reconsider a full-time office return if the compensation is compelling.The right salary offer remains a powerful lever for influencing workplace preferences – a critical insight for employers navigating talent attractionand retention. of professionalswould be willing to return to the officefull-time if offered a 5–10% salary increase of professionalswould be willing to return to the officefull-time in exchange for a higher salary 2026 Salary Guide UK compensation trends3 of 4 Negotiation power starts with preparation While salary expectations are rising and many professionals feel empowered to negotiate, con