By Paul McConnell

Northern Ireland has recorded the strongest annual growth in pay across the UK, according to figures released by the Department for the Economy.

Economy Minister, Dr Caoimhe Archibald said the figures were positive, and indicative of the resilience of Northern Irish businesses.

The minister said: “Such earnings growth is positive in the context of my promoting good jobs, and necessary given the rising cost of living impacting on workers and families.

“These are positive figures and show resilience of our businesses in the face of rising challenges, such as the rising cost of doing business, the uncertain trading environment exporters have been faced with recently and the ongoing restraints on public sector budgets.”

Median monthly pay in Northern Ireland reached £2,401 in September, an increase of £155 (6.9%) compared with September 2024. This represents the highest median monthly pay on record for the region. Pay levels have been increasing steadily since early 2024.

The median represented the middle value, meaning that half of workers earned more than £2,401, while half earned less.This is higher than the UK average of 5.6% for the same period.

Northern Ireland also recorded an unemployment rate of 2.3% during the same period, one of the lowest across the UK. However, almost one in four people remain economically inactive in NI, meaning they are neither in work nor actively seeking employment. This can be due to factors such as study, caring responsibilities, illness, or retirement.

While pay in Northern Ireland remained below the average for Great Britain, the gap was narrowing. In April 2025, median pay increased by 7.4%, also one of the highest rises on record.