Wage stagnation | Four in five UK workers receive lower pay awards than in 2024

Four in five UK employees have received smaller pay awards in 2025 compared to last year, with pay awards standing at 3% for the seventh consecutive rolling quarter, new data from Brightmine, the HR data and insights provider, reveals.

After a period of historically high settlements in response to inflation, Sheila Attwood, HR Insights and Data Lead at Brightmine, explained “we’re now seeing the return of employer pay restraint.”