UK human resources salary benchmarks and trends

2027 UK Salary Guide

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Human resources (HR) teams are being tasked with supporting a growing range of priorities, including talent acquisition, employee relations, benefits, learning and development, workforce planning, compliance, and HR technology. However, when employers expect a single role to cover multiple specialised functions without adjusting compensation, they may struggle to attract HR professionals with the expertise and judgment needed to succeed.

As AI-enabled tools and automation reshape how HR teams in Britain work, competition remains strong for roles that require human expertise alongside analytical ability. Current salary data helps employers benchmark HR roles based on responsibilities, technology requirements and overall complexity—not just title or years of experience.

Hiring managers: Meet with us to get customised salary insights and guidance so you can build offers candidates say yes to.

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Enter your city to see salaries tailored to your local market. Starting salaries can vary significantly depending on your skills and experience, the size and sector of the organisation, and the demand for the role in your area. The city you choose reflects not only the urban centre but also the surrounding region.

Human Resources

Learning and Development

Talent Acquisition

Position title

25th percentile

50th percentile

75th percentile

Chief People Officer

111500

148750

186000

HR Director

93750

111500

131000

Head of HR

63500

70750

81250

Head of Inclusion

59750

67250

74750

HR Project Manager

51500

66750

79000

HR Manager

55750

63000

70750

HR Business Partner

47250

53750

66000

HR Generalist

45250

54750

61500

HR Advisor

35000

39500

44750

HR Officer

28750

31000

34250

HR Administrator

26000

28500

31000

25th percentile

The candidate has little or no prior experience in the position and is still developing relevant skills.

50th percentile

The candidate has an average level of experience and has most of the necessary skills.

75th percentile

The candidate has above-average experience, has most or all the necessary skills, and may have specialised qualifications.

Specialised skills commanding premiums

Professionals with the following skills may command higher pay:

Advanced data analytics

Global compensation

HRIS experience

Pay equity benchmarking

Technical recruiting

Roles, industries and certifications on the rise

Salary growth above the 1.5% average for human resources roles is expected for positions that require expertise in talent acquisition, employee relations, workforce planning, inclusion, and supporting organisations through growth and workplace change.

+4.1% Talent Acquisition Partner

+3.3% HR Officer

+1.9% HR Generalist

+1.6% HR Manager

Certain industries continue to invest heavily in HR talent, especially where workforce growth, employee retention, regulatory compliance, organisational change and talent development remain key business priorities.

Business Services

Education

Healthcare / Wellness

Manufacturing / Industrial

Retail

Technology

Certifications can justify higher pay when they validate expertise in people management, employment law, organisational development and strategic workforce planning, helping HR professionals support both business objectives and employee experience.

CIPD

HR Management degrees

LLM Employment Law

Psychology degrees

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Trends and salaries by professional field

Get projected 2027 starting salaries and salary insights in 6 professional fields.

Finance and accounting

IT and technology

Marketing and creative

Legal

Administrative and business support

The salary benchmarks in the UK Salary Guide From Robert Half are the result of a rigorous, multistep process designed to reflect projected market trends for 2027. They are based on actual compensation for professionals Robert Half has placed across the UK, along with 365k third-party job posting data from Textkernel that we use for independent validation.

Non-salary data referenced in the UK Salary Guide is based on online surveys developed by Robert Half and conducted by an independent research firm. Robert Half commissioned research amongst 1,500 respondents using an online data collection methodology. The respondents represent 500 hiring managers and 1,000 workers in finance and accounting, IT and technology, administrative and office support, marketing and creative, and legal. Respondents are drawn from a sample of small-to-midsized enterprises (20-249 employees), and large (250-plus employees) private, publicly listed and public sector organisations across the UK.