Standing view · pay · Durham
improving, held with established confidence, formed on 5 October 2026 from movements in 2026-07.
Pay in Durham has been growing. Median pay was 2,412 in July 2025, 2,462 in August and 2,438 in November 2025, then 2,497 in April 2026, 2,509 in May, 2,513 in June and 2,525 in July 2026, each of those recorded as favourable against the usual pattern for its month. September 2025 at 2,431 was unfavourable. Seven favourable months against one is a strong record, and the four consecutive favourable months from April to July 2026 are the most recent part of it. The view is held as established rather than strong given the one break in the series.
A view is formed only where the evidence names a figure you can check. Each movement listed as a reason had to be large enough to matter and distinctive in at least one way — unusual against this area's own history, unusual against comparable areas, or sustained over several periods. A movement shared with peers counts for less, because it says something about the country rather than about Durham. Where no figure supports a direction we hold no view rather than a hedged one.
| Measure | Period | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | 2025-07 | improving |
| Median pay | 2025-08 | improving |
| Median pay | 2025-09 | deteriorating |
| Median pay | 2025-11 | improving |
| Median pay | 2026-04 | improving |
| Median pay | 2026-05 | improving |
| Median pay | 2026-06 | improving |
| Median pay | 2026-07 | improving |