UK Starting Pay Jumps by Most on Record as Staff Shortages Bite: Survey

Workers travel through London Bridge rail and underground station during the morning rush hour in London, Britain, on Sept. 8, 2021. Toby Melville/Reuters

LONDON—British employers increased pay for new staff by the most since at least the 1990s, according to a survey that will be studied by the Bank of England as it tries to assess how persistent the recent jump in inflation might be.

The Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) said firms were still seeking to hire in September but staff availability fell sharply again, pushing up starting salaries for permanent and temporary workers by the most in the survey’s 24-year history.