UK sales hiring 2026: SDR pay up 7%.
UK SDRs got a pay rise of about 7% in the past year. The median base is now £40,515, and median OTE is £61,339, according to RepVue's self-reported UK data for November 2026. AE base pay rose 7% too.
That happened while UK vacancies across all jobs fell 5% (ONS). And in the US, the step up to AE got harder. Of SDRs who started in 2021, 11.1% made AE within a year. For 2023 starters it was 7.2% (Unify).
I've spent twenty years in sales, from SDR to CRO. Before meritt, I ran SaaSLeads, an SDR academy that placed more than 400 people into sales jobs. My read: good SDRs cost more, and fewer of them get promoted. That changes how I'd plan 2027.
Here's what changed in 2026, what AI is doing to the job, and what I'd change in a 2027 hiring plan.
What changed in UK sales hiring in 2026?
| Metric | November 2026 | The past year |
|---|---|---|
| SDR median base | £40,515 | Up 7% |
| SDR median OTE | £61,339 | Up 6% |
| AE median base | £80,012 | Up 7% |
| AE median OTE | £149,195 | Up 7% |
| SDRs hitting quota | 62.8% | Between 53.5% and 66.2% |
| AEs hitting quota | 42.2% | Between 41.1% and 44.7% |
| UK vacancies, all jobs (Jul-Sep) | 691,000 | Down 5% |
Source: Data source: RepVue (repvue.com), self-reported UK data, trailing 12 months, read 3 November 2026. ONS vacancies, July to September 2026.
Three things stand out to me:
- Pay rose for both roles. Median SDR and AE pay both rose 6 to 7%, even though UK vacancies across all jobs fell 5%.
- SDR hiring held up. LinkedIn data in a June 2026 government report listed SDR among the UK's growing entry-level jobs, up 17%, while hiring overall was down 14%.
- Fewer than half of AEs hit quota. 42.2% of UK AEs hit their number, and it has stayed between 41% and 45% all year. SDRs sit higher, at about six in ten, but their readings swing from month to month.
How is AI changing the SDR job?
- More outreach is automated. 55% of sales professionals use AI for prospecting, and 54% have used AI agents (Salesforce, 4,050 sellers in 22 countries, surveyed in August and September 2025).
- Buyers are harder to reach. In a 2025 Gartner survey, 61% of B2B buyers said they prefer to buy without a rep, and 73% actively avoid suppliers who send irrelevant outreach.
- Buyers still rate people higher. When they do talk to someone, buyers rate human reps 28 to 39 points above generative AI at moving a deal forward, building confidence and understanding their needs (Gartner, May 2026).
My read: the meetings go to SDRs who research the account, pick up the phone and hold a real conversation. That raises the bar for every SDR you hire.
Why are fewer SDRs moving up to AE?
Unify tracked about 180,000 US reps. Of those who started as SDRs in 2021, 11.1% became AEs within 12 months. For 2023 starters it was 7.2%. Across the whole group, 22% had made the move.
The Bridge Group's 2025 report, mostly North American data, shows how narrow the ladder is. Each year about 40% of SDRs leave the role. 16% are promoted, and 24% quit or are let go.
I found no UK equivalent. If the pattern holds here, many strong UK SDRs are waiting for a seat their own company can't give them. That makes them some of the best-value hires on the market. Our London SDR and AE pay guide has the numbers.
Where is sales development heading in 2027?
- AI does the research. Gartner expects 95% of sellers' research to start with AI by 2027, up from under 20% in 2024.
- Agents will outnumber sellers. Gartner expects AI agents to outnumber sellers 10 to 1 by 2028. It also expects fewer than 40% of sellers to say agents improved their productivity.
- Some teams are already smaller. In a 2025 survey of more than 560 VC-backed B2B software companies, 36% had cut SDR headcount in the past year and 19% had grown it (Emergence Capital).
My read: there will be fewer SDR seats. Each one will be paid more and asked to do more. Research with AI, then call, qualify and run a first meeting.
So I'd hire on behaviours. At meritt we assess curiosity, coachability, communication and grit. Those are what I'd test hardest in 2027, because AI now does more of the research and the list building.
What should you change in your 2027 hiring plan?
Here's what I'd change.
| Area | The 2025 habit | The 2027 plan |
|---|---|---|
| SDR pay | Last year's rate | Add 6-7% to match the market |
| Hiring test | A CV and a chat | A live call and a discovery role-play |
| What you measure | Emails sent and dials made | Conversations held and meetings that convert |
| AI | A tool SDRs can try | Standard for research, so SDR time goes on calls |
| Promotion | "12 to 24 months, maybe" | Written targets and a review at 6 to 9 months |
| Headcount | A ratio set by habit | Fewer, stronger SDRs, paid at the top of the band |
Source: What I'd do, based on the data above.
One more thing for 2027. The government plans to limit non-compete clauses, with the detail due early 2027. That could put more experienced reps back in play. I wrote up what non-compete reform means for sales leaders.
Common questions
Are UK SDR salaries going up in 2026?
Yes, by about 7%. RepVue's self-reported UK data puts the median SDR base at £40,515 in November 2026, up 7% on a year earlier, and median OTE at £61,339, up 6%. AE pay rose by about the same. For 2027, I'd budget 6 to 7% above your 2025 rates, and more for SDRs close to promotion.
What share of UK SDRs hit quota?
About six in ten. In RepVue's self-reported UK data, 62.8% of SDRs hit quota in the 12 months to November 2026. The monthly readings swing, from 53.5% to 66.2% over the past 13 months. AEs are lower and steadier: 42.2% now, and between 41.1% and 44.7% over the same period.
Is AI replacing SDRs in the UK?
We found no evidence that AI has replaced human SDRs in the UK. It is changing the job: 55% of sales professionals use AI for prospecting (Salesforce). In a 2025 survey, 36% of VC-backed B2B software firms had cut SDR headcount in the past year and 19% had grown it (Emergence Capital). LinkedIn data listed SDR among the UK's growing entry-level roles in spring 2026.
How long does it take an SDR to become an AE?
For those who make it, about a year. Unify tracked about 180,000 US reps. The median SDR who became an AE spent 12 active months in the role first, but only 22% had made the move. The share promoted within 12 months fell from 11.1% for 2021 starters to 7.2% for 2023 starters. We found no UK equivalent.
How many SDRs should we plan for in 2027?
Start from the work your SDRs need to do. The Bridge Group's 2025 benchmark is about one SDR for every 2.4 AEs, but that is mostly North American data from before AI research tools became standard. With AI doing more research and list building, I'd plan for fewer SDRs, paid at the top of the band, tested with a live call and measured on meetings that convert.
Sources
- Data source: RepVue. UK pay and quota attainment for SDRs and AEs, read 3 November 2026. Self-reported by verified sales professionals, trailing 12 months.
- ONS, Vacancies and jobs in the UK, October 2026, 20 October 2026. Vacancies for July to September 2026.
- DSIT, A snapshot of entry-level hiring in the UK, 8 June 2026, using LinkedIn data to April 2026.
- Salesforce, State of Sales, 3 February 2026. 4,050 sellers in 22 countries, surveyed in August and September 2025.
- Gartner: buyers and rep-free buying (25 June 2025), reps vs generative AI, and AI research by 2027 (20 May 2026), AI agents by 2028 (28 July 2026).
- Unify, The path to AE, updated 11 August 2026. About 180,000 US reps.
- The Bridge Group, 2025 SDR Metrics report, 6 February 2025. 351 B2B companies, 78% in North America.
- Emergence Capital, via SaaStr, 23 June 2025. 560+ VC-backed B2B software companies, surveyed in April 2025.
Hire great salespeople, better.
Sales people who recruit sales people. A flat fee, a shortlist with evidence, and a process candidates rate 4.8.
See how we hire