In 2025, it’s imperative for employers to focus on refining recruitment and retention strategies to remain competitive. Flexibility, robust D&I initiatives, employee engagement, and an emphasis on holistic benefits will be critical to navigating the job market and attracting the very best HR professionals.
The HR sector continues be at the forefront of change and remains responsive to any employment updates that impact the UK economy and business landscape – further outlining the importance of a strong and resilient HR team.
As modern technology becomes essential, the need for HR professionals to utilise data-driven insights and implement HR tools is paramount, as the sector strives for more efficient workforce management.
Using data from 21 million jobs posted on Reed.co.uk since 2016, our 2025 human resources salary guide is the optimal industry salary checker. By using our guide to inform the average human resources salary UK professionals can expect, you’ll gain a deeper understanding into what HR jobs are worth across all regions of the UK – helping you to offer the best packages available and stand out when recruiting.
For employers unable to offer significant salary hikes, investing in strong, well-communicated benefits packages is essential. Tailored benefits can significantly impact employee satisfaction, signalling an organisation’s commitment to supporting work-life balance and wellbeing.
Human Resources Recruitment Expert, Reed
Who is this guide designed for?
Our 2025 HR salary guide is tailored for:
Jobseekers desiring HR roles.
Professionals looking to benchmark their earnings.
Employers seeking to enhance their salary and benefits offerings.
Whether you’re looking to find out the UK average salary, what your current salary should be, what the next career step could see you earning, or whether you are compensating your team in line with the rest of the industry, our HR salary guide allows you to compare salaries across a variety of HR roles – from business partner salaries to reward manager salaries – across all regions.
Employers: looking for HR salary benchmarking insights?
You can use our HR salary guide to compare salaries and benefits, allowing you to make sure your remuneration packages are on par with sector expectations. Reed’s 2025 human resources salary guide uses data from jobs posted on Reed.co.uk since 2016 to give you the most accurate information, with salary predictions for 2026 included.
Jobseekers: curious about what you should be earning in the HR sector?
Use our 2025 salary guide to understand your worth, help you decide on a job offer, or even plan for the next step in your HR career – would you earn enough if you were to change roles or move to a new location?
What jobs does Reed’s 2025 human resources salary guide cover?
This guide assesses salaries and benefits across all 12 UK regions – ranging from the North West and Northern Ireland to London and Wales – spotlighting noteworthy developments using graphics to depict key salary changes over the past year.
Our salary and benefits guide will provide you with direction on salaries and benefits for some of the most prominent roles in the sector, including:
Employee relations advisor
HR analyst
HR director
Head of HR
Recruitment manager
Reward manager
Talent acquisition specialist
So, whether you’re looking to hire your next HR team member or want to know more about what salaries you could receive, you can use Reed’s guide for reassurance.
Why download Reed’s HR salary guide 2025?
This comprehensive guide draws upon a vast dataset derived from over 21 million jobs posted on Reed.co.uk since 2016, marking its place as the most trusted salary guide around. The analysis of such an extensive volume of data offers unparalleled views of the sector – ensuring you receive accurate and reliable figures.
Our 2025 HR salary guide acts as an essential resource for jobseekers and employers alike, offering:
Detailed salary insights for 2025.
Market trend analysis.
Insights into the benefits employees value most.
Comprehensive data across a range of HR job roles.
Our specialism experts provide key insight into the sector, with Reed’s regional directors discussing the local job landscape. This distinctive perspective, not available anywhere else, amplifies the guide's relevance for employers and professionals alike.
How can the Reed salary guides help with my benefits and rewards benchmarking?
As part of our suite of annual salary guides, we surveyed 5,000 UK workers in November 2024 to help further inform you. You can read the full highlights in ‘the great UK salary and benefits reveal’ section of the guide.
Key findings from our research include:
One-in-four professionals (26%) feel unhappy with their current salary.
More than half (60%) of those who aren’t satisfied with their salary shared that it is because it hasn’t risen with the cost of living, nearly a third (31%) say it’s not enough for them to live the lifestyle they want, and 36% feel they’re unable to save enough money to meet their financial goals.
Nearly half (43%) of respondents are working more hours than they are contracted to.
Alarmingly, when asked why, 40% of those employees said they have too much work to do in the hours they are paid to work.
Salary increases remain the most significant action to make workers feel more valued, with 59% of respondents ranking it at the top.
Company benefits offered marry up almost exactly with the benefits employees make use of, with onsite parking, hybrid working, Christmas shutdown and free refreshments ranking as the top received and used benefits.
More than a quarter (26%) of workers say they don't feel valued by their employer.
To help you make an informed choice on all things UK salary and benefits in the HR sector, download our free 2025 salary guide now.
