23.6%in place
23.6% of organisations in the lumi HR community have bonuses deferred for any population in place (base: 267 UK organisations, 2026 H1).
Figures describe organisations in the lumi HR community, not a random sample of UK employers.
How UK organisations answered
| Answer | Share of organisations |
|---|---|
| No deferral | 76.4% |
| Exec only | 10.5% |
| Senior leadership only | 9.7% |
| Wider population | 3.4% |
| Varies | 0% |
Definition
Whether part of the bonus is deferred rather than paid immediately, and how widely deferral applies. See the methodology for how the base is built, how not-applicable answers are handled, the public floor, and which organisations are excluded.
Read more
- Bonus scheme design: UK benchmark 2026: the research paper this question is analysed in, with the full distribution, the legal context and what it means for reward decisions.
- Incentives & recognition: research, guides and metrics: everything lumi publishes in this area.
Cite this figure
Last updated 19 September 2026 · Data licence: CC BY 4.0 for the figures in the CSV download.
Source: lumi HR, UK Reward Metrics, September 2026, lumihr.co.uk/metrics/bonuses-deferred-for-any-populationLast updated 19 September 2026 · Data licence: CC BY 4.0 for the figures in the CSV download.
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