- Nearly half (46%) of employees want to scrap the monthly payday in favour of accessing wages on demand.
- Two thirds would access pay more than once a month if given the option - most often to cover bills, everyday costs, or to avoid debt.
- Almost half (48%) say an employer offering Earned Wage Access is more attractive than one that doesn't.
LONDON, Sept. 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nearly half (46%) of UK employees want to scrap the traditional monthly payday and instead access their earnings whenever they need them, according to new research from leading payroll technology provider IRIS Software Group.
Earned Wage Access, also known as On-Demand Pay, allows employees to withdraw a portion of their already-earned wages before their scheduled payday, rather than waiting for the traditional monthly pay cycle. Of the 1,000 workers polled by IRIS, 46% said they would prefer wages on demand, with a further 29% neutral on the idea. Over half (52%) said being able to access their pay when it suited them would help them manage the rising cost of living, while a similar number (51%) felt it would give them greater control of their finances.
When asked how they would use On-Demand Pay, respondents said it would help them cover unexpected bills (43%), manage day-to-day expenses (40%), and reduce reliance on debt such as credit cards or overdrafts (29%).
Two thirds (66%) of people said they would access their pay more than once a month if they could, with 22% saying they'd access it weekly, 12% fortnightly, and 6% daily. More than a quarter (27%) said they'd only occasionally use it more than once a month, with 33% preferring to stick to monthly access.
The findings suggest the long-standing tradition of the monthly payday - a workplace convention dating back over 100 years - is ripe for disruption, as employees seek greater financial control to combat the cost of living and to improve financial wellbeing. Nearly half (48%) agreed that an employer that provided Earned Wage Access would be more attractive than one that didn't, compared to just 7% who disagreed.
Stephanie Coward, Managing Director for HCM at IRIS Software Group, said: "For over a century, many Brits have lived by the rhythm of the monthly payday. It's so ingrained that few of us ever question it. But technology is revolutionising every aspect of how we manage money - from instant payments to real-time banking. The workplace is the final frontier. This isn't just about paying people differently; it's about using technology to give workers the financial flexibility that matches the reality of modern life. We're finally catching payroll up to the 21st century."
IRIS, which provides payroll software and services that enable over 300.000 UK businesses to process payroll for 1 in 6 UK workers, conducted the research as it launches a new On Demand Pay feature, enabling businesses to offer Earned Wage Access to their employees. IRIS has partnered with leading On-Demand Pay provider Level Financial Technology to bring the feature to its payroll and HR software users.
While the majority of workers see clear benefits, a minority (21%) expressed concerns that On-Demand Pay could make them feel less in control of their finances. Their top worries included overspending, disrupting monthly budgeting routines, and being out of sync with monthly bill cycles. Nearly a quarter said they would be against their employer offering On-Demand Pay. For these reasons, IRIS and Level's joint solution includes a range of safeguards, proactive usage monitoring and full compliance of the Chartered Institute of Payroll Professionals' Code of Practice (of which Level is a co-founder).
The study also explored the role of employers in financial wellbeing. When asked if it was fair to hold employers responsible if an employee ran into money problems after accessing wages early, most said no - believing it is down to individuals to manage their own money. However, nearly a quarter (23%) felt the employer bore responsibility, with 13% saying responsibility should be shared.
Stephanie Coward added: "When your solutions are responsible for processing payroll for 1 in 6 UK workers, you have both the insight and the obligation to innovate. This capability is ready, it's proven, and it's what employees are demanding.
We're making it accessible to UK businesses of every size - because whether you're an SME competing for talent or an enterprise managing thousands of employees, the ability to offer flexible pay access is becoming essential."
For more information, visit: https://www.iris.co.uk/payroll/
Methodology: 1,002 UK Employees who are paid monthly, polled independently by Censuswide between 02.09.2025 - 05.09.2025
About IRIS Software Group
IRIS Software Group is a global provider of mission critical software and one of the UK's largest privately held software companies. IRIS provides software solutions and services for finance, HR and payroll teams, educational organisations, and accountancy firms that takes the pain out of processes and lets professionals focus on the work they love. Through simplifying, automating and providing insights on everyday mission critical tasks for organisations of all shapes and sizes, IRIS ensures customers can look forward with certainty and confidence.
IRIS is the largest third-party online filer with the UK Government. Ninety-three of the top 100 UK accountancy firms use IRIS software. One in six of the UK's workforce is paid by IRIS payroll offerings, and globally, six million employees receive their payslip via IRIS software every month. More than 850,000 UK employees are managed by IRIS HR solutions. Over 12,000 UK schools and academies use IRIS, with four million parents and guardians using IRIS apps to connect with their children's school; 300 million messages are delivered between schools and parents each year, and over £15 million transactional payments are processed every month. IRIS is certified as a Great Place to Work® and recognised as one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Gender Equality in 2023. IRIS is also recognised as one of the Best Workplaces for Wellbeing, one of the Best Workplaces in Tech and one of the Best Workplaces for Women.
To see how IRIS helps organisations get things right first time, every time, visit www.iris.co.uk or follow IRIS Software Group on LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram.
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