Financial Crime Salary Guide: UK & Ireland
The UK and Ireland financial crime market continues to evolve as firms respond to increasingly complex financial crime risks, heightened regulatory expectations and continued investment in governance across banking, fintech, payments, consumer finance and wealth management. Demand remains strongest for experienced MLROs, AML specialists and financial crime leaders who can strengthen frameworks, oversee regulatory obligations and build resilient financial crime functions.
Salary levels are increasingly influenced by more than technical expertise alone. Employers place significant value on professionals with board-level exposure, regulatory engagement, enterprise-wide financial crime leadership and experience delivering AML, sanctions, fraud prevention, transaction monitoring and financial crime transformation programmes. As organisations continue to invest in financial crime capability, experienced professionals with strong governance, technology and strategic leadership skills remain among the most sought-after talent across the UK and Ireland.
Financial Crime, AML & Sanctions - Ireland
PCF-52 has made financial crime leadership a distinct board-accountable function. AMLA is adding further pressure, with firms strengthening AML, sanctions and financial crime teams across Ireland and Europe.
| Role / Title | PCF | Base Salary | Typical Bonus | Key Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLRO / Head of AML (SME/Boutique) | PCF-52 | €90,000–€120,000 | 10–20% | Often a first PCF-52 appointment or a lower risk firm with a focused AML remit. |
| MLRO / Head of AML (Mid-Tier) | PCF-52 | €100,000–€150,000 | 15–25% | The typical range for prior approval, CBI engagement and wider AML accountability. |
| MLRO / Head of AML (Large / Global Firm) | PCF-52 | €140,000–€180,000 | 20–35% | Usually higher risk firms, cross-border scope or candidates with deep PCF-52 experience. |
| Global Head of Financial Crime | PCF-52 | €170,000–€250,000 | 25–45% | Senior global remit across AML, sanctions, fraud and financial crime governance. |
| Head of Sanctions | — | €100,000–€140,000 | 15–25% | Demand is strongest where sanctions risk, payments exposure or trade finance complexity is high. |
| Head of Financial Crime Compliance | PCF-52 | €100,000–€180,000 | 15–35% | Salary moves with risk profile, team size and breadth across AML, sanctions and fraud. |
| Director – AML Investigations & Advisory | — | €95,000–€125,000 | 10–20% | Usually covers investigations, advisory work, SARs, EDD and senior stakeholder support. |
| VP / Senior Manager – KYC & CDD | — | €75,000–€100,000 | 10–15% | Typically sits below Head level, focused on KYC standards, policy and governance. |
| Head of Fraud (Strategy & Prevention) | — | €105,000–€145,000 | 15–25% | High demand where digital payments, fraud prevention and customer risk intersect. |
Interim & Contract Day Rates - ireland
Interim demand is strongest where firms need senior cover, regulatory remediation support or help bridging PCF approval timelines. Rates vary by risk profile, scope, urgency and prior PCF experience.
| Role / Title | PCF | Day Rate | Typical Bonus | Key Context |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Financial Crime Consultant | — | €650–€1,000/day | — | Often supports AML remediation, sanctions reviews and financial crime control uplift. |
Financial Crime — London
| Role / Title | Base Salary | Bonus (Typical) | Total Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief AML Officer / MLRO (Tier 1 Bank) | £250,000–£360,000 | £60,000–£120,000 | £310,000–£480,000 |
| MLRO (Mid-tier Bank / Payment Institution) | £160,000–£230,000 | £35,000–£70,000 | £195,000–£300,000 |
| MLRO (Fintech / E-money / Crypto) | £130,000–£190,000 | £25,000–£55,000 | £155,000–£245,000 |
| Deputy MLRO / Head of AML | £130,000–£185,000 | £30,000–£55,000 | £160,000–£240,000 |
| Head of Financial Crime (Group) | £160,000–£240,000 | £40,000–£80,000 | £200,000–£320,000 |
| Head of Sanctions (Global / EU) | £150,000–£220,000 | £40,000–£75,000 | £190,000–£295,000 |
| Head of Fraud & Financial Crime Prevention | £140,000–£200,000 | £35,000–£65,000 | £175,000–£265,000 |
| Head of Financial Crime Analytics / Intelligence | £130,000–£185,000 | £30,000–£55,000 | £160,000–£240,000 |
| Financial Crime Director / Senior Manager | £100,000–£150,000 | £20,000–£45,000 | £120,000–£195,000 |
| Sanctions Manager / VP Sanctions | £85,000–£125,000 | £15,000–£35,000 | £100,000–£160,000 |
| Senior AML / Financial Crime Analyst (AVP) | £65,000–£90,000 | £10,000–£25,000 | £75,000–£115,000 |
Financial Crime — Edinburgh
| Role | Base Salary Range | Total Comp | Market Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head of Financial Crime | £110,000–£165,000 | £130,000–£210,000 | Growing in payments & fintech |
| MLRO (Bank / Asset Manager) | £120,000–£185,000 | £145,000–£235,000 | Asset management MLRO market tightening |
Financial Crime — Manchester
| Role | Base Salary Range | Total Comp (Est.) | Market Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head of Financial Crime | £100,000–£155,000 | £120,000–£195,000 | Strong retail banking and consumer finance demand |
| MLRO (Retail Bank / Payment Firm) | £110,000–£170,000 | £130,000–£215,000 | Growing EMI and payment firm presence across the region |
| Senior Financial Crime / AML Manager | £52,000–£78,000 | £4,000–£13,000 | Strong demand across retail banks, payment firms and fintechs |
Financial Crime — Leeds
| Role | Base Salary Range | Total Comp (Est.) | Market Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLRO (Bank / Retail Finance) | £100,000–£160,000 | £120,000–£200,000 | Retail banking MLRO demand remains robust |
| Head of Financial Crime / Head of AML | £90,000–£145,000 | £108,000–£183,000 | Growing demand across challenger banks |
| Senior Financial Crime Analyst / Manager | £48,000–£72,000 | £3,000–£11,000 | Steady hiring across retail banking |
Financial Crime — Birmingham
| Role | Base Salary Range | Total Comp (Est.) | Market Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLRO | £100,000–£160,000 | £120,000–£200,000 | Retail and commercial banking focused demand |
| Head of Financial Crime | £88,000–£138,000 | £105,000–£173,000 | Growing alongside FCA-regulated challenger banks |
| Senior Financial Crime / AML Manager | £48,000–£72,000 | £3,000–£11,000 | Growing demand driven by challenger bank expansion |
Compliance & Financial Crime — Bristol
| Role | Base Salary Range | Total Comp (Est.) | Market Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLRO (Payment Firm / Fintech) | £105,000–£165,000 | £126,000–£210,000 | Payments and fintech focused |
| Head of Financial Crime | £88,000–£142,000 | £105,000–£178,000 | Payments and fintech dominant |
| Senior Financial Crime / AML Manager | £50,000–£75,000 | £4,000–£12,000 | Payment firms most active |
Sector-by-Sector Benchmarks
Compensation structures vary significantly by sector. Investment banking and hedge funds continue to set the market ceiling through discretionary bonus pools, while fintechs compete through equity participation and growth optionality.
Tier 1 / Global Investment Banks — London
| Role / Title | Base Salary | Bonus (Typical) | Total Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chief AML Officer / MLRO | £270,000–£380,000 | £80,000–£150,000 | £350,000–£530,000 |
Retail & High Street Banks
| Role / Title | Base Salary | Bonus (Typical) | Total Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLRO | £160,000–£240,000 | £40,000–£80,000 | £200,000–£320,000 |
| Head of Financial Crime | £150,000–£220,000 | £35,000–£70,000 | £185,000–£290,000 |
Asset & Wealth Management
| Role / Title | Base Salary | Bonus (Typical) | Total Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCO (FCA Authorised Manager) | £180,000–£290,000 | £50,000–£110,000 | £230,000–£400,000 |
| MLRO | £160,000–£250,000 | £40,000–£90,000 | £200,000–£340,000 |
| Head of Financial Crime / Sanctions | £140,000–£210,000 | £35,000–£70,000 | £175,000–£280,000 |
Fintech, Challenger Banks & Payments
| Role / Title | Base Salary | Bonus (Typical) | Total Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLRO (Regulated Payment Institution) | £140,000–£220,000 | £25,000–£65,000 | £165,000–£285,000 |
| Head of Financial Crime (Fintech) | £130,000–£200,000 | £25,000–£60,000 | £155,000–£260,000 |
| Head of Fraud Risk & Financial Crime Prevention | £120,000–£190,000 | £25,000–£55,000 | £145,000–£245,000 |
Private Equity, Private Credit & Alternatives
| Role / Title | Base Salary | Bonus (Typical) | Total Package |
|---|---|---|---|
| CCO (FCA Authorised Alternatives Manager) | £180,000–£280,000 | £60,000–£120,000 | £240,000–£400,000 |
| MLRO (PE / Credit Fund) | £150,000–£240,000 | £45,000–£90,000 | £195,000–£330,000 |
| Head of Financial Crime (FC + KYC) | £140,000–£220,000 | £40,000–£80,000 | £180,000–£300,000 |
Source: Broadgate UK Financial Services Salary Guide, June 2026. Salary ranges reflect base compensation unless otherwise stated; bonus and total package figures are indicative and exclude pension, LTIP, carried interest and equity unless stated in the source guide. For alternatives managers, carried interest is excluded and can represent a multiple of base salary over a typical fund cycle.
