The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom fell by 11,000 to 30.3 million in March 2026, following a revised decline of 6,000 in February. This renewed downturn highlights mounting pressure in the labour market as firms continue to grapple with the economic repercussions of the Middle East war.
On an annual basis, payrolled employment was down 0.2% (65,000 fewer employees) compared with March last year. The steepest decline was recorded in the wholesale and retail sector (‑57,000), while the largest increase was in health and social work (+41,000).
At the NUTS3 regional level, Westminster posted a 1.9% drop in payrolled employees, whereas Mid Ulster registered a 2.3% rise.
In contrast, median monthly pay increased by 4.3% year‑on‑year to £2,599. Growth in median pay was strongest in public administration and defence (+7.5%) and weakest in the professional, scientific and technical sector (+2.9%).
