Pay rates have effectively fallen for the UK’s lower and middle income earners since 2010, research suggests.
Workers in jobs paying between £9.56 and £12.73 an hour have seen their “real” wage drop 1% since 2010 after inflation is accounted for unions found.
However, the lowest-paid workers have seen average real pay rates increase 5%, thanks to minimum wage rises.
Ministers say all workers saw income tax cuts and real pay was now rising.
Real wage rates adjust the hourly rate for the effect of inflation, the average increase in the cost of goods and services, which erode the spending power of your money.
The pay rate analysis identifies middle income earners, those earning near the median wage rate of £12.73 per hour, as having their earning power eroded since 2010.
This 1% reduction in pay rates compares to a rise of 7% for this group of 7.7 million workers between 2002 and 2010.
For workers earning between the median wage rate of £12.73 and £25.45 per hour, pay rates have on average fallen 3% in the period.
The analysis shows the 1.1 million highest income earners, banking above £25.45 per hour worked, saw average pay rates rise 4% since 2010.
People in middle earning jobs have seen their pay fall. Jobs like those in construction, the local government in administrative jobs for example you’ve likely seen your pay go down over this period. That has an impact on your ability to live and ability to pay your bills.
