How fast are UK wages growing?
Average weekly earnings in the UK were £756 in July 2026, 3.7% higher than a year earlier (ONS, all employees, including bonuses, before tax). Prices rose 2.9% over the same twelve months, so earnings were up about 0.8% after allowing for prices.
July 2026, all employees, seasonally adjusted.
In cash terms, before allowing for prices.
Earnings growth after allowing for the same year’s inflation (CPI).
Earnings and prices over time
What’s this?
The average weekly pay of all employees, including bonuses and before tax, from a monthly survey of businesses.
What it cannot tell you: It is a mean, so a few very high earners pull it up, and it is not adjusted for rising prices.
What’s this?
How much higher average weekly earnings are than twelve months before, in cash terms.
What it cannot tell you: It is before allowing for rising prices: compare it with inflation to see whether pay is keeping up.
What’s this?
How much prices rose over the previous twelve months, measured by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). A rate above zero means prices are rising.
What it cannot tell you: It is an average. Your own prices may have risen faster or slower, for example if you rent or drive a lot.
Month by month
Average weekly earnings against prices for the last twelve months. “After prices” is earnings growth after allowing for inflation; a minus sign means earnings lost ground. The long run since 2002 →
| Month | Average weekly earnings | Growth on a year earlier | Inflation (CPI) | After prices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | £756 | 3.7% | 2.9% | +0.8% |
| June 2026 | £756 | 4.3% | 2.6% | +1.6% |
| May 2026 | £751 | 3.7% | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| April 2026 | £753 | 4.6% | 2.8% | +1.7% |
| March 2026 | £756 | 4.7% | 3.3% | +1.4% |
| February 2026 | £746 | 3.9% | 3.0% | +0.9% |
| January 2026 | £743 | 4.7% | 3.0% | +1.6% |
| December 2025 | £738 | 3.2% | 3.4% | -0.2% |
| November 2025 | £739 | 4.5% | 3.2% | +1.3% |
| October 2025 | £739 | 4.8% | 3.6% | +1.2% |
| September 2025 | £734 | 4.4% | 3.8% | +0.6% |
| August 2025 | £733 | 5.2% | 3.8% | +1.3% |
Questions people ask
What are average earnings in the UK?
£756 a week in July 2026, according to the ONS monthly survey of businesses (all employees, seasonally adjusted, including bonuses).
How fast are wages growing?
3.7% on a year earlier in July 2026, in cash terms.
Are wages rising faster than prices?
Yes: earnings grew 3.7% and prices 2.9% over the same year, a real change of +0.8%.
Why is this different from the average salary page?
This is the mean pay of all employees from a monthly business survey, so it is higher than the median pay of full-time workers on the average salary page, which is a yearly survey of the middle worker.
What is not included?
Self-employed people. The figures are before tax and National Insurance, and include bonuses.
Sources: ONS, Average Weekly Earnings (to July 2026) and Consumer Prices Index. Updated every night.
See also: Is pay keeping up with inflation? · Average UK salary · Inflation · UK unemployment