Most employers consider that pay will grow at much the same rate next year as it has done so in 2025. Almost two-thirds (63%) of the 92 organisations that took part in IDR’s recent survey, ‘Planning for pay in 2026’, anticipate that their 2026 pay award is likely to be at the same level as this year’s, though a further 30% are forecasting a slightly lower increase. This is in contrast to the findings of last year’s survey, in which 63% of respondents planned a lower award for 2025, and may reflect the increased inflationary pressures that have arisen over the course of this year. Meanwhile only 7% of employers believe that next year’s pay outcome will be higher than in 2025, something that is most likely connected to the more difficult economic conditions overall.
