FX.co ★ UK Payroll Employment Falls 13K in July

The number of payrolled employees in the UK fell by 13,000 to 30.3 million in July 2026, following a revised decline of 13,000 in June. On an annual basis, employment was down 0.3%, equivalent to a loss of 94,000 jobs.

By sector, wholesale and retail recorded the largest annual drop in payroll employment, cutting 75,000 jobs, while administrative and support services saw the biggest gain, adding 63,000 employees.

At the NUTS3 regional level, Camden and the City of London reported a 1.8% fall in payrolled employees, whereas Mid Ulster registered a 1.5% increase.

Median monthly pay increased by 4.2% year-on-year to £2,642, easing slightly from 4.3% growth in June. Among sectors, median pay growth was strongest in health and social work (+5.3%) and weakest in education (+3.3%).