Portfolio Group 
Portfolio HR & Reward 
Portfolio Credit Control 
Portfolio Procurement 
Portfolio Payroll Canada 
Hiring Insights
Our 2025/26 Payroll Salary Guide captured 52% more responses than last year, giving the clearest read yet on how UK payroll teams are hiring, and how payroll professionals are job hunting, right now.
From recruitment timelines to the benefits and flexibility candidates expect, here's what the data tells employers and job seekers about payroll hiring heading into 2026.
When are employers hiring?
Hiring has picked up sharply. 52% of companies now plan to hire in the next six months, double the proportion who said the same last year. Most permanent hiring still happens more than a year after a role opens, but the mix has shifted towards temporary and contract cover: 43% of businesses have hired on a temporary or contract basis in the past six months, up 6 percentage points year-on-year, as employers plug gaps quickly while taking their time on permanent appointments.
What employers are looking for: beyond core technical payroll skills, businesses are increasingly hiring for expertise in pensions and benefits, confidence handling international payroll, the ability to work independently in sole-charge roles, and curiosity about AI and automation. 42% of businesses cite mergers and acquisitions as a driver of payroll team growth, and around 12% of roles created in the past year were newly created positions, often at manager level.
When are payroll professionals job hunting?
Candidate mobility has shifted sharply. In 2024, 56% of payroll professionals said they had no plans to look for a new role within the next 12 months; in 2025 that's fallen to just 25%. Every shorter timeframe has grown in turn: 22% are looking immediately (up from 13%), 16% within three months (up from 8%), 15% within three to six months (up from 8%), and 21% within six to twelve months (up from 14%).
Taken together, it points to a market in transition. Early-2025 uncertainty created pent-up demand that's since been released into a wave of movement — employers are hiring with more confidence, and candidates are noticeably more active and open to change than in recent years.
What matters most when choosing a new role?
Salary still matters, but it's no longer the only factor — 29% of candidates say flexible or remote working is their single most important criterion, and job security has become the third most important consideration overall. Benefits play a growing part too: 94% would want a bonus if they don't already get one, and festive shut-down leave (98%) and birthday leave (94%) are the most valued perks on offer. Childcare support and hardship loans are the most undervalued benefits — areas where employers who close the gap can stand out.
