And
tags. We'll write: Private sector regular earnings grew just 2.8% in the three months to June, the weakest pace since the summer of 2020, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. Public sector pay, meanwhile, rose 6.1% over the same period, leaving a gap of more than three percentage points between the two.
Private sector pay cools to 2.8%
The 2.8% figure for April to June marks the slowest growth in private sector regular pay since the August to October 2020 period, when it was 2.4%. That's a notable slowdown from the whole-economy average of 3.5%, which includes both private and public sector workers. The ONS published the data on 18 August as part of its monthly earnings bulletin.
Regular pay, as the ONS defines it, excludes bonuses and other one-off payments. It's the measure economists watch most closely for underlying wage trends. The private sector's 2.8% is the weakest reading in nearly six years, a sign that pay pressures in the private sector are easing.
Public sector pay runs at 6.1%
Public sector regular pay growth came in at 6.1% for the same three-month period, more than double the private sector rate. The gap between the two now stands at 3.3 percentage points. That's a big spread, and it reflects the different dynamics at play. Public sector pay settlements have been running ahead of private sector ones, though the ONS bulletin doesn't break down why.
Whole-economy regular earnings growth, which combines both sectors, was 3.5% in April to June. That's the figure that captures the overall picture for workers, though it masks the wide variation between the two sectors.
Average weekly earnings top £755
The ONS also reported that average weekly earnings for total pay, including bonuses, were estimated at £755 in June 2026. For regular pay, which strips out bonuses, the average was £703. These are nominal figures, meaning they don't account for inflation, and they cover all employees in the UK.
The bulletin, released on 18 August, is the latest in the ONS's monthly series. The next update is due in September, and it will show whether the private sector's slowdown continues or stabilizes.
Private sector regular earnings grew just 2.8% in the three months to June, the weakest pace since the summer of 2020, according to new figures from the Office for National Statistics. Public sector pay, meanwhile, rose 6.1% over the same period, leaving a gap of more than three percentage points between the two.
Private sector pay cools to 2.8%
The 2.8% figure for April to June marks the slowest growth in private sector regular pay since the August to October 2020 period, when it was 2.4%. That's a notable slowdown from the whole-economy average of 3.5%, which includes both private and public sector workers. The ONS published the data on 18 August as part of its monthly earnings bulletin.
Regular pay, as the ONS defines it, excludes bonuses and other one-off payments. It's the measure economists watch most closely for underlying wage trends. The private sector's 2.8% is the weakest reading in nearly six years, a sign that pay pressures in the private sector are easing.
Public sector pay runs at 6.1%
Public sector regular pay growth came in at 6.1% for the same three-month period, more than double the private sector rate. The gap between the two now stands at 3.3 percentage points. That's a big spread, and it reflects the different dynamics at play. Public sector pay settlements have been running ahead of private sector ones, though the ONS bulletin doesn't break down why.
Whole-economy regular earnings growth, which combines both sectors, was 3.5% in April to June. That's the figure that captures the overall picture for workers, though it masks the wide variation between the two sectors.
Average weekly earnings top £755
The ONS also reported that average weekly earnings for total pay, including bonuses, were estimated at £755 in June 2026. For regular pay, which strips out bonuses, the average was £703. These are nominal figures, meaning they don't account for inflation, and they cover all employees in the UK.
The bulletin, released on 18 August, is the latest in the ONS's monthly series. The next update is due in September, and it will show whether the private sector's slowdown continues or stabilizes.
