Biggest payrolls — the UK's largest wage bills 2026
Total staff costs — the UK companies spending the most on their people · 41,677 qualifying · snapshot 2026-06-01
| # | Company | Industry | Wage bill | Staff | Per head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | BAE SYSTEMS PLC Listed aerospace and defence contractor | Industrials | £8.89B | 97,000 | £92k |
| 02 | TESCO PLC LSE-listed multinational grocery retailer | Consumer Discretionary | £8.72B | 339,140 | £26k |
| 03 | VODAFONE GROUP PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY Multinational telecommunications group | Telecommunications | £6.13B | 92,834 | £66k |
| 04 | BARCLAYS BANK PLC Multinational universal bank | Financials | £5.56B | 23,000 | £242k |
| 05 | TESCO STORES LIMITED Principal UK supermarket operating subsidiary | Consumer Discretionary | £5.49B | 249,663 | £22k |
| 06 | ROYAL MAIL GROUP LIMITED British postal and courier service | Industrials | £5.42B | 126,811 | £43k |
| 07 | SKYLINE TAXIS HOLDINGS LIMITED | Industrials | £4.97B | 66 | £75M |
| 08 | BT GROUP PLC Listed telecommunications holding company | Telecommunications | £4.80B | 91,500 | £52k |
| 09 | DELOITTE NSE LLP Big Four professional services firm | Unclassified | £4.79B | 49,452 | £97k |
| 10 | BRITISH TELECOMMUNICATIONS PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY Telecommunications and broadband provider | Telecommunications | £4.79B | 91,500 | £52k |
| 11 | ROLLS-ROYCE PLC Aerospace and defence engine manufacturer | Industrials | £4.05B | 42,600 | £95k |
| 12 | BRITISH UNITED PROVIDENT ASSOCIATION LIMITED(THE) Multinational healthcare and insurance group | Health Care | £3.80B | 109,514 | £35k |
| 13 | G4S LIMITED Multinational private security company | Industrials | £3.62B | 419,544 | £9k |
| 14 | BUPA FINANCE PLC. Financing vehicle for healthcare group | Industrials | £3.51B | 103,649 | £34k |
| 15 | NATIONAL WESTMINSTER BANK PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY Retail and commercial bank | Financials | £3.30B | 54,800 | £60k |
| 16 | AMAZON UK SERVICES LTD. E-commerce business support services | Industrials | £3.29B | 64,733 | £51k |
| 17 | BELLIS FINCO PLC Holding company for Asda | Industrials | £3.28B | 142,867 | £23k |
| 18 | SAINSBURY'S SUPERMARKETS LTD Major UK supermarket operator | Consumer Discretionary | £3.23B | 130,800 | £25k |
| 19 | PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP Professional services and accounting firm | Unclassified | £3.16B | 33,770 | £94k |
| 20 | NETWORK RAIL LIMITED State-owned railway infrastructure operator | Industrials | £3.07B | 41,331 | £74k |
| 21 | CHANEL LIMITED Global luxury fashion house | Consumer Discretionary | £3.06B | 37,492 | £82k |
| 22 | NETWORK RAIL INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED British railway infrastructure operator | Industrials | £3.05B | 41,331 | £74k |
| 23 | JAGUAR LAND ROVER LIMITED Luxury motor vehicle manufacturer | Consumer Discretionary | £2.98B | 35,172 | £85k |
| 24 | ASDA STORES LIMITED Major UK supermarket chain | Consumer Discretionary | £2.95B | 131,027 | £22k |
| 25 | BRITISH AIRWAYS PLC UK flag carrier airline | Consumer Discretionary | £2.88B | 40,521 | £71k |
All figures from each company's latest filed Companies House accounts; detailed filers only, with implausible outliers and scale artifacts excluded. Filed accounts lag the present by roughly 12–24 months, and group-vs-parent scope changes can move a figure between filings. Banks and insurers that don't report a turnover line are under-represented on the turnover-based boards.