PwC UK partners are projected to earn an average annual payout of over £900,000 for the year ending June 2026. This increase, surpassing previous years, comes amidst a weak consulting market and follows significant cost-cutting initiatives by the firm. The anticipated figure represents a more than 5% rise from the £865,000 average paid out in the prior year.
This projected remuneration would position PwC's partner payouts above KPMG's reported average of £880,000 for last year and EY's £787,000, although it would remain below Deloitte's £1.05 million. The increase is notable given that PwC's total staff numbers declined from 36,000 to 33,700 during the same period, partly due to slower hiring and industry-wide job cuts in the professional services sector.
The firm is navigating a prolonged market slowdown, particularly in consulting, where businesses are delaying or reducing projects to control discretionary spending. This challenging environment caused partners' share of profits to stagnate in the 12 months leading up to June 2025. Despite these market conditions, the projected payout for PwC's 973 partners indicates that cost management and strategic adjustments have been effective in boosting individual partner earnings.
While the final figures are subject to change as the firm's accounts are not yet finalized, this payout would bring partner remuneration close to levels seen in 2022 and 2023, which were boosted by strong performance from PwC UK’s Middle East business. The expected payout highlights an ongoing trend among professional services firms to manage costs and maintain partner profitability even during economic downturns.
