UK regular wages rose 3.7% year-on-year in the three months to August, exceeding expectations

⑴ In the UK, regular wages (excluding bonuses) for the three months ending August 2026 rose by 3.7% year-on-year to £707 per week, accelerating slightly from the previous period and exceeding the market’s expectation of 3.6%. ⑵ This marks the strongest annualized growth rate since the three months ending January, with pay growth in the private sector rising marginally from 2.9% to 3.0%, the fastest pace since the three months ending April. ⑶ Public sector pay growth remained steady at 6.3% for the second consecutive period, still the highest since the three months ending December 2025. ⑷ By industry, wages grew by 3.1% in wholesale, retail, hotels and catering, 2.9% in manufacturing, 3.9% in services, 3.3% in financial and business services, and 1.1% in construction. ⑸ After adjusting for inflation, real regular wage growth was 0.6%, unchanged for the third consecutive period and still the fastest pace since the three months ending November 2025.