Topics

Pay levels and awards

New and updated

  • Type:
    Economic data

    ONS gender pay gap data: ASHE 2025

    Updated to include the latest headline gender pay gap data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025. The next ONS release date is November 2026. 

  • Date:
    22 October 2025
    Type:
    Commentary and insights

    Reward priorities in 2026

    What are UK employers prioritising when it comes to reward in 2026? We reveal the key themes emerging from our latest survey of more than 200 organisations, offering insight into how pay, benefits and recognition are set to evolve in the next year.

  • Date:
    22 October 2025
    Type:
    Editor's choice

    Compare your organisation using the new Brightmine benchmarker spreadsheets

    Available to all HR & Compliance Centre and Benchmarking - HR Metrics customers, the new benchmarker spreadsheets allow you to generate tailored insights for your organisation and see how you compare to other organisations on key metrics, from pay awards to holiday entitlement.

  • Date:
    22 October 2025
    Type:
    Survey analysis

    Pay trends October 2025: Stability continues to define pay settlements

    Pay awards have now held at 3% for much of 2025 - the new normal for UK pay settlements. The latest Brightmine analysis confirms another period of steady outcomes and limited change across sectors.

  • Date:
    22 October 2025
    Type:
    Survey analysis

    Forecasts for pay awards in 2025/2026

    Pay awards have been stable throughout 2025, but lower than seen in the previous two years. We now take stock of the pay setting environment and look ahead to likely activity in 2026.

  • Type:
    International

    Global minimum wage rates comparative table

    Updated to reflect the change to the minimum wage rate in Guernsey, and changes to provincial/territorial rates in Canada, prefecture rates in Japan and cantonal rates in Switzerland. 

  • Type:
    Employment law guide

    Pay and the employment contract

    Updated with information on the Government's consultation on the fair pay agreement process in adult social care.

  • Date:
    30 September 2025
    Type:
    Commentary and insights

    Mythbusting: National minimum wage misconceptions that catch employers out

    The national minimum wage (NMW) is often seen as a simple legal requirement: as long as you pay your workers at least the statutory rate, you are meeting compliance requirements. However, the rules are nuanced, and misunderstandings can lead organisations to costly errors, enforcement action and reputational damage.

  • Date:
    24 September 2025
    Type:
    Survey analysis

    Review of pay awards 2025: Pay bargaining calendar

    To help guide your 2026 pay award planning, explore when pay settlements typically take effect across the economy.

  • Date:
    24 September 2025
    Type:
    Survey analysis

    Review of pay awards 2025: Round-up of pay settlements 2025

    Pay awards have cooled in the last 12 months, with the majority of deals being lower than those given in the previous year. As organisations navigate tighter budgets and shifting market pressures, this report reflects on the pay awards delivered in the last year, as collected by Brightmine.

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HR and legal information and guidance relating to pay levels and awards.

Pay levels and awards: key resources

Tools for pay specialists