The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom dropped by 43 thousand, or 0.1% to 30.2 million in December 2025, following a revised 33 thousand fall in the previous month. This was the fourth consecutive monthly decline and the sharpest since November 2020. Compared with the same month a year earlier, payrolled employment fell by 0.6%, or 184 thousand. The biggest fall was recorded in the wholesale and retail sector (-72 thousand), while the largest increase occurred in the health and social work sector (+37 thousand). Across NUTS3 regions, Westminster registered a 3% drop in payrolled employees, whereas Mid Ulster saw a 2% rise. Meanwhile, the median monthly pay increased by 4% year-on-year to