PHP Developer Salary UK 2025
Last updated: June 2025 • 7 min read • Written by: ClickMasters HR Team • Reviewed by: Reviewed annually
Direct Answer
PHP Developer salaries range from £26,000 to £640–£890/day. Laravel expertise commands 15–20% premium over vanilla PHP. Modern PHP 8.x (fibers, enums, readonly properties, match expressions) knowledge distinguishes senior engineers from legacy-only PHP developers. PHP + WordPress (plugin development, headless WP with REST API) remains a significant UK agency market. PHP developers pivoting to Python or Node.js are increasing their market value significantly.
Market Outlook
PHP Developers are in consistent if declining demand in the UK — PHP powers approximately 77% of all websites (primarily via WordPress) and is the language of Magento, Drupal, and countless bespoke UK business applications. Modern PHP (8.x with strict typing, Laravel, Symfony) is a legitimate enterprise language despite the language's dated reputation.
Salary benchmarks by Seniority
IR35 Tax Position
Day rates assume outside IR35. Inside IR35 contractor day rates in the UK are typically 15–25% higher to compensate for the lack of tax efficiency and additional payroll costs. ClickMasters engineers are directly employed by us, representing **zero IR35 risk** for clients.
Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about php developer salary standards.
Approximately £65,000–£98,000 mid-level. London +20–30%.
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