17/08/2022
LONDON - U.K. real wages, which reflect the power of employee’s pay after accounting for inflation, fell by an annual 3% in the last quarter, according to data released by the Office of National Statistics on Tuesday.
While average pay — excluding bonuses — increased by 4.7% in the April to June period, according to the ONS, the cost of living is increasing at an even faster rate and outpacing wage growth.
Darren Morgan, ONS director of economic statistics, said this was affecting how far wages go in the day-to-day life of workers.
“The real value of pay continues to fall. Excluding bonuses, it is still dropping faster than at any time since comparable records began in 2001,” he commented.
Higher energy and food bills have been putting pressure on households in the U.K. The cost of living crisis continues to take hold of the country, with consumers’ purchasing power decreasing.