Puntos clave
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Entity setup, EOR, or contractors: Direct hiring in the UK requires complex HMRC registration and local payroll, while an Employer of Record (EOR) offers fast expansion without setting up a local entity. Engaging independent contractors gives quick flexibility for project-based work.
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Key statutory requirements: Make sure minimum or living wages, 28 days of paid annual leave, 3% employer pension contributions, and statutory sick pay (SSP) when you hire in the UK.
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Working time regulations: Employees are limited to an average of 48 working hours per week, calculated over a 17-week period. They can voluntarily sign a written opt-out agreement.
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Upcoming legal changes: The Employment Rights Bill gives immediate unfair dismissal protection and tightens rules on flexible work and contract updates.
The United Kingdom has a rich talent pool to share with the world. But the country also has complex labor and employment laws that are tricky to navigate.
Para las compañías que contratan empleados en el Reino Unido, gestionar estas regulaciones es complejo pero necesario. Esta guía te guiará por todo lo que necesitas saber sobre cómo contratar empleados en el Reino Unido.
Qué debes saber antes de contratar en el Reino Unido
If you want to hire employees in the UK, start with these 10 compliance basics.
1. salario mínimo
El Reino Unido tiene dos niveles sueldo:
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The national minimum wage: This is the minimum hourly wage for UK employees aged 20 or younger. In 2025, rates range from GBP 7.55 to GBP 10, depending on the employee's age and whether they're an apprentice. Rates change every year on April 1.
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The national living wage: This is a higher rate, applicable to employees aged 21 and over. The 2026 rate is GBP 12.71 per hour. For those aged between 18–20, the rate is GBP 8.00. Apprentices get GBP 8.00. Rates are also updated every year on April 1.
2. Normativas sobre horario de trabajo
There’s no statutory standard full-time workweek in the UK. However, a 40-hour workweek is common. Employers can require workers to work longer hours where allowed by contract and applicable law. Pay for all hours worked has to comply with the national minimum wage or national living wage.
Under the Working Time Regulations, most adult workers can’t work more than an average of 48 hours per week. This is usually calculated over a 17-week reference period. 24-hour staffing requirements doesn’t automatically exempt a role from this limit. However, specific exceptions, special rules, longer reference periods, or compensatory rest arrangements can apply to certain industries.
Workers aged 18 and over can choose to exceed the 48-hour weekly average if they sign a voluntary, written opt-out agreement. Workers can cancel an opt-out agreement at any time. The default notice period is seven days. The agreement can specify a longer notice period of up to three months.
While many employers offer overtime pay, there’s no requirement to pay overtime at a premium rate unless agreed contractually or under a collective agreement.
3. vacaciones anuales
Employees in the UK are entitled to at least 5.6 weeks (28 days) of paid annual leave. Employers decide whether to include the UK's 8-10 public and bank holidays (depending on jurisdiction) in the 28 days of paid annual leave. Part-time workers will have their 28 days' statutory annual leave prorated. For example, someone working 3 days a week will get 16.8 days off a year (3 days multiplied by 5.6 weeks is 16.8 days).
La posibilidad de transferir la licencia depende del tipo de licencia y de los términos que establezca el contrato del empleado. Por ejemplo, si un empleado estaba en licencia estatutaria como por paternidad, maternidad, adopción o licencia por enfermedad, puede trasladar la licencia de vacaciones legales no empleado al año siguiente.
4. Licencia familiar
Pregnant employees can take up to 52 weeks of maternity leave as a day-one right. This is paid for up to 39 weeks, if qualifying conditions are met. Paternity leave is 1-2 weeks. Those adopting or pursuing surrogacy can take up to 52 weeks of adoption leave. Shared parental leave can give up to 50 weeks’ leave with 37 weeks’ pay. In Great Britain, neonatal care leave of up to 12 weeks has applied since April 2025 (this isn’t yet in force in Northern Ireland).
5. Atención médica
El gobierno del Reino Unido proporciona a los residentes seguro médico a través del Servicio Nacional de Salud. Puedes ofrecer un seguro privado adicional, incluyendo beneficios de visión y dentales, pero esto no es obligatorio.
6. Pago por enfermedad legal (SSP)
Employees earning at least GBP 125 per week are eligible for SSP if they've been sick for more than three days in a row. Employees must document their illness with a doctor's note or other evidence. For most employees, SSP is available at a flat rate of GBP 118.75 per week for up to 28 weeks. Check for annual updates to the SSP flat rate and eligibility.
7. Sistema de pago según ganas (paga de acuerdo con lo que ganas)
Under the PAYE system, employers must withhold income tax and national insurance contributions (NICs) from employee wages. Employers remit these to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The rates depend on the employee's earnings.
How PAYE payroll registration works for UK employers: UK employers have to register for PAYE with HMRC before their first payday. Once registered, HMRC gives the reference numbers needed to set up payroll software, report pay and deductions, and pay taxes.
After registering, employers have to use the real time information (RTI) system to calculate and report taxes and deductions by each payday. For new staff, collect a P45 or starter checklist to make sure of correct tax coding. You have to meet HMRC payment deadlines, give itemized payslips, and keep all payroll records.
8. Pensiones
Employers must offer a pension scheme to UK employees aged 22-66 who earn GBP 10,000 or more annually. However, employees can opt out. The pension scheme is jointly funded by the employer and employee at minimum contribution rates of 3% for employers and 5% for employees. Employee pension contributions are deducted before calculating tax on their remaining salary.
9. Visas
Immigration rules change often, so it's crucial that your team members have the right to work in the UK. Under the EU Settlement Scheme, EU, EEA, and Swiss citizens can continue living, working, and studying in the UK following Brexit. Non-EU citizens need a work visa, such as a Skilled Worker visa or an Intra-Company Transfer visa.
10. La Ley de Derechos Laborales
The Employment Rights Bill will likely become law in 2025. This bill contains amendments to further protect United Kingdom employees. These amendments will place new compliance requirements on employers looking to hire in the UK, including:
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Eliminación del requisito de dos años de servicio para reclamaciones por despido improcedente
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Consultar con los empleados y demostrar causa razonable al cambiar los términos laborales
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Proporcionar razones transparentes y justificadas para denegar solicitudes de trabajo flexible
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Establecer políticas claras para conceder la baja legal por duelo
2026 expectativas de empleado en el Reino Unido
Employees in the UK are concerned about their professional future. Our research found that 61% are worried about job loss and 59% think they lack the skills to thrive in an AI-powered workplace.
About 53% of workers in the UK are actively job hunting or planning to switch jobs in 2026. Businesses hiring in the UK should highlight career progression opportunities and investment efforts in employee upskilling to ease these concerns. Including training and development pathways in job descriptions can differentiate you from competitors and serve as a powerful counterpoint to employee anxiety about AI.
Hiring models for global companies looking to hire in the UK
The best model when you decide to hire employees in the UK depends on your overall business goals.
| Modelo | Known for | Key benefits | Principales riesgos |
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| Direct entidad empleadora registration | Hire UK staff directly without a local entity via HMRC PAYE registration. | Allows direct hiring in the UK and control without a local entity. | Faces potential permanent establishment and corporate tax risks depending on the employee's role. |
| Employer of Record, like G-P EOR | A fast way to hire in the UK without a local entity. EOR manages all contracts, payroll, taxes, benefits, and compliance. | Helps fast, compliant market entry with minimal setup when hiring employees in the UK. | Risk of tax and health-and-safety liabilities if the client directs EOR workers like their real employer. |
| Subsidiary or branch | A subsidiary or branch creates a formal presence. | Offers maximum control, brand presence, scalability, and operational maturity. | High setup, maintenance, and compliance burdens, including entity creation and corporate tax. |
| Independent contractors, like G-P Contractor | Ideal for short-term projects or consulting without employer control. | Flexible access to specialized skills without a full-time commitment. | Misclassification risks for worker rights, unpaid taxes, and pension liabilities. |
Los principales centros de contratación en el Reino Unido
Algunas ciudades del Reino Unido son conocidas por industrias específicas. Conocer lo que cada ciudad tiene para ofrecer puede ayudarte a canalizar tus esfuerzos de contratación hacia el lugar adecuado y cubrir puestos más rápido.
Los principales polos de talento en el Reino Unido incluyen:
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London is the UK's capital and largest city, and a global hub for finance, technology, retail, fashion, and pharmaceuticals. It's a leading financial exporter, attracting top talent in banking, insurance, and asset management.
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Manchester is a major industrial hub in Northwest England. This city is a global leader in advanced manufacturing, including the aerospace and automotive sectors. It has a growing tech scene with strengths in digital media, e-commerce, and cybersecurity.
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Birmingham has a diverse economy and houses business, professional, and financial services. The automotive and rail manufacturing industries also thrive in Birmingham.
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Cambridge has a strong research and development ecosystem, driven by the University of Cambridge. The science and technology hub in and around Cambridge is nicknamed Silicon Fen for its cutting-edge software, electronics, and biotechnology industries.
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Edinburgh is Scotland's capital and the UK's second-largest financial center after London. This city is a global leader in banking, insurance, and investment management, and has a growing software industry.
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Belfast attracts specialized talent in fintech and cybersecurity investment. Creative industries such as film and television also thrive here.
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Cardiff, the Welsh capital, has diverse strengths in finance, media, tourism, film, and fintech.
Industrias clave en el Reino Unido
Comprender las principales industrias del Reino Unido te ayuda a referirte a los salarios y beneficios. Puedes emplear esta información para tomar decisiones inteligentes sobre dónde invertir y hacer crecer tu fuerza de trabajo. Las principales industrias en el Reino Unido incluyen:
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Finance and insurance: The UK's financial and insurance services sector contributed GBP 208.2 billion to the economy in 2023, accounting for 8.8% of total economic output. Prominent names in this sector include Barclays and Lloyds Banking Group.
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Technology: In 2023, the digital and technology sector contributed 7% of UK employment. The UK is home to semiconductor designer Arm, fintech leader Revolut, and software giant Sage Group.
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Healthcare and life sciences: These UK sectors employ hundreds of thousands of people and include well-known pharmaceutical companies such as AstraZeneca.
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Creative industries: From July 2023 to June 2024, the creative industry accounted for about 7% of UK jobs. Big names include the BBC, the global advertising and PR firm WPP, and Pinewood Studios.
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Manufacturing: The manufacturing sector contributed around GBP 217 billion in gross value to the UK economy in 2024. Notable UK manufacturing brands include Rolls-Royce, Unilever, and BAE Systems.
Gastos de contratación en el Reino Unido
Salaries and benefits vary by occupation, but the median weekly wage of a full-time employee in the UK is around GBP 728. Hiring in the UK requires careful budgeting:
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Research: Complying with laws and regulations requires extensive research, so you'll have to pay employees to do this or partner with external compliance experts.
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Entity formation: You need a subsidiary or branch to hire in the UK, which can be costly and time-consuming. Or, you can partner with an Employer of Record (EOR) and skip this requirement.
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Hiring solutions: EORs streamline hiring employees in the UK. Include their fees in your hiring budget.
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Advertising: Posting job ads on popular UK job boards can help attract qualified applicants. Some of these platforms may charge a fee.
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Legal checks: Verifying an applicant's right to work and other background checks take time and money.
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Hiring committee: If you use an internal hiring committee, you'll pay for the working hours they spend writing the job ad, evaluating applications, and interviewing candidates.
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Training: New hires require a training investment before they can start producing valuable work for your company.
El costo de contratar a un contratista en el Reino Unido
Contratar empleados a tiempo completo es ideal para las necesidades a largo plazo y las funciones principales del negocio. Los contratistas pueden ser más rentables para proyectos a corto plazo o cuando se necesitan habilidades especializadas durante un tiempo limitado. Los contratistas suelen tener una tarifa horaria más alta que los empleados, pero te permiten ahorrar en varios gastos, incluyendo formación, NIC, pensiones, vacaciones, SSP y otros beneficios.
A contractor solution such as G-P Contractor™ can help you hire and pay contractors in the UK with ease.
Qué se necesita para contratar empleados en el Reino Unido
Para contratar trabajadores en el Reino Unido, debes tener:
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A legal entity: You need a registered subsidiary or branch to hire in the UK.
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Employers' liability insurance: UK law mandates that companies have employers' liability insurance to protect employees in case of work-related sickness or injury.
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Employer registration: Hiring UK employees requires registering as an employer with HMRC to manage tax obligations and withholdings.
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Payroll: A compliant payroll system is crucial to calculate and remit taxes, NICs, and other deductions.
Partnering with an EOR streamlines all aspects of hiring in the UK. As a global EOR, we have entities worldwide. Instead of spending months setting up your own, you can use our EOR's UK subsidiary to hire employees in minutes.
6 pasos para contratar en el Reino Unido
Si quieres contratar empleados en el Reino Unido, sigue estos pasos:
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Prepare for compliance: Conduct research to make sure you understand all the relevant labor laws and practices for hiring in the UK, or use an EOR to access local expertise.
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Post a job ad: Use G-P Gia™, our AI-powered global HR agent, to draft HR documents, including job descriptions that comply with the Equality Act of 2010 and the Data Protection Act of 2018.
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Screen candidates: Screen applicants based on qualifications listed on their CVs and legal checks.
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Conduct interviews: Interview shortlisted applicants and use Gia to craft relevant and nondiscriminatory interview questions.
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Follow up and create a contract: Extend an offer to your chosen candidate, and draft a compliant contract outlining employment terms, rights, and responsibilities.
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Onboard your new hire: Provide training and integrate new hires into your company culture.
Comprensión de los contratos laborales en el Reino Unido
UK employment agreements must be backed by a written statement of particulars or contract with key employment terms. These include a job title and description, employment start date, compensation rate, holiday entitlements, sick pay, working hours, and notice periods.
Incluye cláusulas de propiedad intelectual y confidencialidad para proteger tu información confidencial. Puedes incluir un periodo de prueba, normalmente de seis meses o menos, y cláusulas razonables de no competencia. Detallar las condiciones y los procesos para la terminación del contrato también puede protegerte frente a reclamaciones por despido improcedente.
With Gia, you can draft contracts and other HR documents in seconds that comply with labor laws when hiring in the UK.
Otras consideraciones de cumplimiento y legales
Some other considerations when hiring employees in the UK include:
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Classification: Properly classifying UK workers is crucial to meet tax and benefits requirements and protect your company's reputation and financial stability.
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Collective bargaining: UK employees have the right to join a trade union and, under certain conditions, employers must recognize these unions and enter into collective bargaining with them.
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Data protection: Along with the Data Protection Act, you must adhere to the UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If you employ EU citizens working in the UK, you must also comply with the EU GDPR's requirements to protect their data.
Contratación de contratistas en el Reino Unido
Trabajar con autónomos en el Reino Unido puede ser una forma rentable de probar el mercado y consolidar una presencia sin necesidad de empleados a tiempo completo. Los contratistas con sede en el Reino Unido comprenden el comportamiento local de los consumidores, las normas y las prácticas empresariales. Estarán listos para empezar a trabajar rápidamente con su propio equipo y procesos de trabajo establecido.
Contratar contratistas te permite ajustar fácilmente tu fuerza de trabajo en el Reino Unido según las necesidades de tu negocio, sin las complejidades y costos laborales.
Before you enter an agreement with an independent contractor in the UK, consider the following.
1. Empleados vs. contratistas independientes
UK labor law recognizes three employment statuses — employee, independent contractor (self-employed), and worker:
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Employees work under an employment contract, giving the employer control over their work in exchange for statutory rights, such as SSP and protection from unfair dismissal.
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Independent contractors control their own work according to their service agreement. They're considered self-employed, so they're responsible for their own taxes. They have minimal statutory protections beyond their contract terms, but retain some rights.
Workers operate like contractors, but must perform the contracted work personally, whereas contractors may subcontract work to third parties. Workers receive basic employment rights, such as minimum wage and paid holidays.
2. Penalidades por clasificación errónea
Classifying someone as a contractor when they're not can lead to penalties. If misclassification occurs, you may need to:
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Paga la entidad empleadora y las partes de empleado de todos los impuestos pendientes sobre los ingresos y NIC durante todo el periodo de clasificación errónea, más los intereses.
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Proporcionar pagos retroactivos por derechos que se negaron al empleado o trabajador, incluyendo salario mínimo atrasados, vacaciones pagadas acumuladas y contribuciones retroactivas a la pensión laboral.
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Enfrenta sanciones económicas significativas por parte de HMRC.
3. Cómo pagar a los contratistas en el Reino Unido
G-P Contractor elimina el proceso complicado y que consume mucho tiempo de contratar y pagar a contratistas internacionales. Puedes crear y emitir contratos y pagar a los contratistas con solo unos clics, todo ello cerciorando un proceso de cumplimiento.
Contrata empleados y contratistas en el Reino Unido con G-P
Our SaaS and AI-powered products – EOR, Contractor, and Gia – help companies of all sizes build and manage global teams.
With more than a decade of experience, the largest team of HR, legal, and compliance experts, and a global proprietary knowledge base, G-P is the recognized leader in global employment.
Make your expansion easier when you hire in the UK with G-P. Contact us or book a demo today.
