UK payrolled employees: administrative and support services
UK payrolled employees: administrative and support services stood at 2,454,406 people in Aug 2026, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS). It is one of the indicators in the Pay and employment from PAYE table (Value · Monthly), with a complete series running from Jul 2014 to Aug 2026. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Pay and employment from PAYE table
| Indicator | 08-2026 | 07-2026 | 06-2026 | 05-2026 | 04-2026 | 03-2026 | 02-2026 | 01-2026 | 12-2025 | 11-2025 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payrolled employees by industry | |||||||||||
| N — Administrative and support services | 2,454,406 | 2,425,448 | 2,416,545 | 2,413,638 | 2,405,125 | 2,394,923 | 2,392,099 | 2,390,713 | 2,388,956 | 2,392,034 | |
| O — Public administration and defence; social security | 1,584,791 | 1,583,624 | 1,581,963 | 1,581,390 | 1,583,790 | 1,587,919 | 1,586,735 | 1,584,222 | 1,582,325 | 1,579,303 |
Understanding UK payrolled employees: administrative and support services
This series tracks payrolled employees across the United Kingdom engaged in administrative and support service activities, encompassing employment agencies, security services, travel agencies, and facilities cleaning. The measure includes agency workers supplied to other industries, security guards, and call centre staff on formal payrolls, excluding independent contractors. Compared with specialised professional services, this sector provides operational and auxiliary support functions across the wider economy.
Reading these figures requires recognising that employment agency staffing acts as a leading indicator of broader labour market changes, as firms often hire agency workers before taking on permanent staff. Revisions to early monthly releases can be substantial due to the high-turnover nature of support and agency roles. Year-on-year analysis helps filter out short-term volatility in temporary staffing demand.
Frequently asked questions
- Why are employment agencies classified under administrative and support services?
- Agencies provide workforce support services to other businesses, placing their internal and placed staff under this industrial code.
- How do changes in this sector reflect wider economic conditions?
- Increases or decreases in agency staffing often foreshadow broader shifts in permanent hiring across manufacturing and commerce.
- Does this category include building cleaning and security guard personnel?
- Commercial cleaning operatives and security personnel employed by specialist service providers are fully included here.