2026 UK salary guides.

Our 2026 UK salary guide gives you clear, data-driven insight into salary trends, market movement and hiring confidence across marketing, tech, IT and data.

It’s designed to help employers, HR leaders and hiring managers plan ahead, benchmark pay accurately and make confident hiring decisions.

Hiring confidence is improving across the UK, with more employers planning to grow or maintain their teams this year. Salaries are rising steadily, increasing by 2% to 4% on average, with stronger growth of up to 6% across AI, data and cyber security. This measured growth signals a stable yet competitive hiring market.

Skills shortages remain a key challenge, particularly for technical, digital and commercial roles. Employers are placing greater emphasis on salary benchmarking, pay transparency and retention strategies to secure skilled professionals. Our 2026 data shows that more than 60% of professionals now rank salary as their top priority, followed by flexibility and career progression. These are the factors most influencing hiring and retention success.

Hybrid working has become the norm, but many employers are refining how it operates. The focus has shifted from where people work to how teams collaborate, perform and develop. Businesses offering fair pay, flexibility and clear progression are building stronger, more loyal teams.

As we look ahead, the 2026 hiring landscape is defined by steady pay growth, ongoing skills gaps and data-led decision-making. Employers who rely on accurate salary insights to shape offers and workforce planning will be best placed to attract and retain top talent.

These guides are for hiring teams and professionals who want clear, reliable salary data to support their decisions.

If you’re hiring, the guides can help you set competitive salaries, plan team growth, and understand what others are paying for similar roles. Whether you’re in HR, talent acquisition or leadership, you’ll get the insight you need to make confident offers.

If you’re a candidate, the guides give you a clear view of your market value. Use them to benchmark your salary, prepare for interviews or reviews, or simply stay informed about where salaries are heading in your field.

Each guide includes salary benchmarking for 2026, a comparison with 2025 figures, and projections for 2027. They cover a wide range of roles across tech, marketing, sales, IT and data.

• Demand for skilled professionals remains high, especially across AI, data, cyber security and digital marketing. These roles continue to see the strongest salary growth and hiring activity.

• Candidate mobility is increasing, with 54% of marketing professionals and 66% of data specialists open to new opportunities this year.

• Pay remains the top priority for professionals, followed by flexibility, career development and wellbeing. Employers offering transparent pay structures and balanced reward packages are attracting stronger talent.

• AI and automation skills are among the most sought after in 2026, with machine learning, cloud engineering and data analytics driving the highest salary benchmarks.

• Employers are investing more in retention, with a focus on progression, benefits and hybrid working models that support productivity and growth.

We combine real-time salary data from active placements with market analysis across the UK. That means every figure is based on what employers are actually paying right now. 

Each guide gives you the clarity to plan salaries, review pay structures and stay ahead of market trends. Inside, you’ll find:

• Salary benchmarks for 2026 across all major job functions

• Comparisons with 2025 salary data

• Projections for 2027 to support future planning

• Advice based on current hiring and job search trends

Whether you’re hiring or looking for your next role, these guides will help you understand the market, make informed decisions, and stay ahead of pay trends.