Fractional Finance Director Salary & Full-Time FD Pay — UK 2026
Finance Director salary benchmarks for the UK — full-time, part-time and fractional. The full-time FD salary averages £121,145 (Glassdoor) with a £109,500 median (Robert Half); London runs £122,000–£187,750 and rises to £150,000–£250,000 at larger businesses.
A part-time or fractional FD is engaged 1–3 days a week instead — roughly £30,000–£90,000 a year (£500–£1,100/day) — senior finance leadership without a full-time cost. Sourced from FD Capital, Robert Half and Exec Capital; reviewed 7 July 2026.
What a Finance Director earns in the UK in 2026
The average Finance Director salary in the UK is about £121,145 (Glassdoor via FD Capital, 2,219 submissions), and Robert Half benchmarks the permanent range at £89,750–£138,000 (median £109,500) (Robert Half).
Company size is the dominant driver — a single national average is rarely useful on its own.
By revenue: SME (under £10m) FDs earn £65,000–£110,000, mid-market (£10–50m) £100,000–£160,000 (bonus 15–30% at PE-backed firms), and £50–200m businesses £150,000–£250,000 at board level (Exec Capital).
London and the South East pay a premium across every band.
Fractional / part-time vs permanent: a fractional FD working 1–2 days a week is priced at £30,000–£80,000 a year, versus a loaded full-time FD closer to £150,000–£200,000 once employer NI (15% from April 2025), pension, benefits and recruitment fees are added.
For the day-rate view see the Rate Calculator.
How part-time & fractional FD pay works
Part-time vs fractional vs interim
Part-time FD and fractional FD both mean a senior FD engaged for 1–3 days a week on a retainer (£2,000–£9,000/mo). Interim FD is full-time temporary cover for a specific event (a fundraise, exit or gap) at £500–£1,200/day (Exec Capital).
FD vs CFO
A Finance Director runs financial control, reporting and the finance team; a CFO adds capital strategy, fundraising and board-level commercial leadership.
FD median pay (£109,500) sits below CFO (£176,500) — many scale-ups hire a fractional FD first and add CFO scope later.
What drives the price
Days per week, company revenue and complexity, sector (financial services and PE-backed pay more), and whether the engagement is inside or outside IR35.
London carries a 15–25% premium.
Most growing businesses under £20m revenue get everything they need from a fractional FD at 1–2 days a week — full financial control without a six-figure permanent salary.
Fractional Finance Director rate comparison
Day rates, monthly retainers, and full-time comparison with current market data
Fractional Finance Director rate comparison
ASSUMPTIONS: 220 BILLABLE DAYS · 1.42× LOADED FOR FT
Finance Director Salary UK by company size
Full-time UK Finance Director base salary by company revenue, with the fractional-equivalent monthly retainer alongside. FD Capital/Glassdoor (average £121,145), Robert Half (median £109,500) and Exec Capital — FACTS 188–190.
Finance Director Salary UK by company size
| Company size | UK base salary⬍ | London | Fractional equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| SME (< £10m) | £65,000–£110,000 | £90k–£120k | £2,000–£4,000/mo |
| Mid-market (£10–50m) | £100,000–£160,000 | £122k–£160k | £3,000–£6,000/mo |
| £50–200m | £150,000–£250,000 | £150k–£221k | £5,000–£9,000/mo |
| UK median (Robert Half) | £109,500 | £149,000 | £3,000–£5,000/mo |
Part-time & fractional FD rates by commitment
What a part-time or fractional Finance Director costs by days per week — retainer and day rate. Interim FD day rates £500–£1,200; fractional FD £30,000–£90,000/yr (Exec Capital, FACTS 190).
Part-time & fractional FD rates by commitment
| Engagement | Monthly retainer⬍ | Day rate | Annual (approx) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part-time FD · 1 day/wk | £2,000–£4,000/mo | £500–£900 | £24k–£48k |
| Fractional FD · 2 days/wk | £4,000–£7,000/mo | £600–£1,000 | £48k–£84k |
| Fractional FD · 3 days/wk | £7,000–£9,000/mo | £700–£1,100 | £84k–£108k |
| Interim FD · full-time cover | £10,000–£24,000/mo | £500–£1,200 | 3–9 mo term |
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about fractional Finance Director Salary roles and engagements
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