The number of payrolled employees in the United Kingdom fell by 11 thousand to 30.3 million in January 2026, following a downwardly revised 6 thousand drop in the previous month. This marked the fifth straight month of decline. Compared with the same month last year, payrolled employment dropped by 0.4%, or 134 thousand. The largest decrease was recorded in the wholesale and retail sector (-65 thousand), while the biggest rise was in the health and social work sector (+39 thousand). Across NUTS3 regions, Westminster saw a 2.7% fall in payrolled employees, whereas Mid Ulster registered a 2.3% increase. Meanwhile, the median monthly pay rose by 4.6% year-on-year to GBP 2,588. Growth in median pay was highest in the wholesale and retail sector (+6.2%) and lowest in the finance and insurance sector (+2.1%).