UK reward metrics · Pay

What is UK organisations' policy on pay for employees at or above range maximum?

Source lumi HRBase 211 organisationsFieldwork 2026 H1

50.2%Frozen until range moves

50.2% of organisations in the lumi HR community answered “Frozen until range moves” on policy for pay at or above range maximum (base: 211 UK organisations, 2026 H1).

Figures describe organisations in the lumi HR community, not a random sample of UK employers.

How UK organisations answered

Lump-sum in lieu 30.8% Continue increases 19% Frozen until range moves 50.2%
Policy for pay at or above range maximum (base: 211 organisations, 2026 H1). Percentages percentages may not sum to 100 because of rounding.
Policy for pay at or above range maximum: share of organisations by answer
AnswerShare of organisations
Lump-sum in lieualternative30.8%
Continue increasesrare19%
Frozen until range movescommon50.2%

Common, alternative and rare describe how each answer sits against the community: the most chosen answer is common; an answer chosen by fewer than one in five organisations is rare.

Definition

How the organisation handles pay for staff who have reached or exceeded their band maximum, from lump sums to freezes. See the methodology for how the base is built, how not-applicable answers are handled, the public floor, and which organisations are excluded.

Cite this figure
Source: lumi HR, UK Reward Metrics, September 2026, lumihr.co.uk/metrics/policy-for-pay-at-or-above-range-maximum
Last updated 19 September 2026 · Data licence: CC BY 4.0 for the figures in the CSV download.

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