Christmas Jobs 2026: Who's Hiring in the UK and When to Apply
Christmas temp jobs are one of the few parts of the UK job market adding tens of thousands of roles this autumn. They pay at least the minimum wage, rarely ask for experience, and can lead to something permanent. But some of the biggest employers are hiring fewer temps than last year, so the people who apply early have the best choice.
Last updated: 9 October 2026. We will add new announcements as they are made.
Who is hiring for Christmas 2026?
These are the seasonal hiring plans UK employers have announced so far.
| Employer | Roles | Pay (where announced) | Dates | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Mail | Around 22,000 | Varies by site | Late October to early January | ChannelX, 29 September 2026 |
| Sainsbury's and Argos | 17,500 | Not announced | Fixed-term contracts of 4 to 12 weeks | Grocery Gazette, 5 October 2026 |
| M&S | 11,000 | £13.41 an hour | First starters from 25 October | M&S, 8 October 2026 |
| John Lewis Partnership | More than 10,400 | £13.00 an hour (£14.55 in London), rising after 30 days | Released late September to November | FashionUnited, 8 September 2026 |
| Boots | Around 6,000 | Not announced | Not announced | Personnel Today, 8 October 2026 |
| Currys | Around 1,000 | £12.71 an hour (£13.96 in London) | From 11 October to 2 January | Currys, 28 September 2026 |
A few details worth knowing:
- Royal Mail is hiring for mail sorting, delivery and collection, and temporary HGV and MGV driving, with roles at parcel hubs and 37 mail centres. No experience is needed.
- Sainsbury's and Argos roles cover supermarkets, convenience stores, warehouses and online fulfilment. Apply at sainsburys.jobs/christmas.
- M&S expects seasonal colleagues to work full time in the two weeks before Christmas and be available on 22, 23 and 24 December (Retail Gazette). Apply at jobs.marksandspencer.com/christmas.
- John Lewis Partnership is recruiting 6,000 at Waitrose, 2,600 at John Lewis shops and 1,800 in distribution and supply chain. Apply at jlpjobs.com.
- Boots is hiring customer advisers, operations assistants, warehouse operatives, picker packers and customer support staff across its stores, warehouses and customer support centre. Apply at boots.jobs.
- Currys roles are on the shop floor and tills across 296 stores. Apply at curryscareers.co.uk.
Still to come: Tesco, Amazon and the major parcel couriers had not announced 2026 seasonal numbers when we last checked. Last year Tesco announced more than 28,500 festive roles in mid-October (Grocery Gazette, 2025). Amazon has raised its frontline starting pay to between £15.10 and £16.10 an hour from 27 September 2026, including for seasonal roles (Amazon).
Are there fewer Christmas jobs this year?
At some employers, yes. Sainsbury's and Argos are recruiting 17,500 seasonal roles against 19,000 last year (Sainsbury's, 2025), and John Lewis Partnership more than 10,400 against 13,700 (FashionUnited). Royal Mail is going the other way, up to around 22,000 from about 20,000 in 2025, as parcel volumes keep growing.
Demand from job seekers is high too. Last year searches for Christmas jobs on Indeed hit their highest level since at least 2018 (Indeed Hiring Lab, October 2025). Fewer roles at some retailers and more people looking means the best shifts go early.
When should you apply for Christmas jobs?
Now. Seasonal hiring typically starts in August, builds through the autumn and peaks in November (Indeed Hiring Lab). Several employers are already taking on staff: Currys from 11 October and M&S from 25 October, with Royal Mail roles starting from late October. Roles do keep appearing into November and December, especially in warehouses and delivery, but choice narrows quickly.
How much do Christmas jobs pay?
Every seasonal job must pay at least the legal minimum. From April 2026 that is (gov.uk):
| Age group | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 |
Many large retailers pay above this. Among published rates, M&S pays £13.41 an hour and John Lewis Partnership £13.00 an hour outside London. Warehouse, night and driving shifts often pay more, so check the rate for the specific role and site before you apply.
Can a Christmas job turn into a permanent one?
Often, yes. Currys says 49% of last year's seasonal colleagues were offered permanent roles (Currys). M&S points to managers who started as Christmas temps, and Royal Mail says seasonal roles can lead to permanent careers.
To give yourself the best chance:
- Say early that you want to stay. Tell your manager in the first week, not the last.
- Be reliable on the hard days. Covering the busiest shifts is what managers remember when permanent roles come up.
- Ask about January vacancies. Leavers and new-year restructures create openings just as seasonal contracts end.
We cover the wider case for short-term roles in is temp work worth it?
How do you put a Christmas job on your CV?
Treat it like any other role. List the employer, your title and the dates, then one or two achievements: the volume you handled, the targets you hit, or the responsibility you were trusted with. Retail and logistics experience shows reliability, customer handling and working under pressure, which employers in almost every sector value. If you are early in your career, see our guide to getting work experience when first jobs dry up.
When you are applying to several seasonal employers at once, keep track of which roles you have applied for, which have replied and which shifts you have been offered. Our job application tracker checklist shows what to log.
For the bigger picture, see our monthly look at the UK job market.
The Application Tracker keeps every seasonal application, reply and shift offer in one place, so nothing slips through in a busy month. Get started today at mypathfinder.uk
Last updated: 9 October 2026.