Plymouth jobs show signs of recovery as median pay reaches £2,535 a month
WageSight Wire · Aug 2026
- Employment
- 119,420 workers (July 2026)
- Monthly change
- +0.1% (+125 workers)
- Annual change
- -0.4% (-474 workers)
- Median pay
- £2,535/month (YoY: +4.9%, £119 more in cash terms)
- Total pay bill
- +5.1% on the year
- Real pay vs Feb 2022
- +£120 better off in real terms
Payrolled employment in Plymouth fell 0.4% over the year to July 2026, with 119,420 workers on payroll. However, in the most recent month employers added 125 workers, a tentative sign that confidence may be returning.
Across the South West, payrolled employment edged down 0.3% over the year to July 2026. Plymouth ranked 10th of 12 sub-regional areas in the South West by employment change over the past year.
The median pay packet for workers in Plymouth stood at £2,535 in July 2026, up 4.9% over the past year and ahead of inflation at 3.03%. After a period of sharp inflation from 2022 that eroded real earnings, wages have been recovering. Workers in Plymouth are now £120 a month better off in real terms than in February 2022, when median earnings stood at £1,911 a month. The total pay bill in Plymouth rose 5.1% over the year, faster than headcount, suggesting average earnings per worker are improving.
Nationally, payrolled employment edged down 0.3% over the year to July 2026. Across the UK, 580,736 workers entered payrolled employment in June 2026, the most recently available flow data, while 594,229 left, a net loss of 13,493 workers.
“The employment picture in Plymouth is genuinely encouraging. More people in work and real pay rising means households have more money in their pockets. That kind of momentum matters for local businesses and public services alike.”
— Paul Hebden, Director, Campaign Salience
South West — employment and pay
| # | Area | Workers | Jobs (yr) | Median pay | Pay (yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bristol | 231,546 | +0.0% | £2,692 | +3.9% |
| 2 | North Somerset | 99,974 | -0.1% | £2,600 | +4.2% |
| 3 | Wiltshire | 230,860 | -0.1% | £2,663 | +4.4% |
| 4 | Swindon | 116,304 | -0.2% | £2,692 | +4.4% |
| 5 | Gloucestershire CC | 289,893 | -0.2% | £2,595 | +4.6% |
| 6 | Devon CC | 329,665 | -0.3% | £2,421 | +4.8% |
| 7 | Somerset | 245,493 | -0.3% | £2,530 | +5.4% |
| 8 | Torbay | 54,611 | -0.4% | £2,330 | +5.0% |
| 9 | Cornwall and Isles of Scilly | 229,272 | -0.4% | £2,347 | +5.1% |
| 10 | Plymouth | 119,420 | -0.4% | £2,535 | +4.9% |
| 11 | Dorset | 151,099 | -0.5% | £2,412 | +4.6% |
| 12 | Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole | 175,117 | -1.2% | £2,508 | +4.6% |
Notes to editors
Figures from WageSight, derived from ONS / HMRC PAYE Real Time Information. Full method at wagesight.com/methodology.
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