Gender pay gap barely budges in past year while wage growth reaches record annual levels November 1, 2023 The gender pay gap for full-time workers has barely changed over the past year, new figures suggest.
Pensions secretary: Triple lock has ‘very long term’ question marks as cost spirals September 12, 2023 The triple lock - set to cost an extra £2bn as a result of new wage growth data - may not be sustainable in the long-term
Rishi Sunak dodges commitment to pensions ‘triple lock’ in Tory manifesto September 11, 2023 Rishi Sunak has dodged a commitment to include the pensions ‘triple lock’ in the next Tory election manifesto. The Prime Minister now risks a backlash from his own MPs who will worry about turning off older voters in the general election. It comes amid reports ministers could consider a cut to benefits ahead of voters [...]
UK unemployment ticks up but wage growth hits two-decade-high August 15, 2023 The rate of UK unemployment rose to 4.2 per cent in the three months to June from 3.9 per cent in the previous three months, the Office for National Statistics said. However, this was tempered by annual growth in pay – excluding bonuses – up to 7.8 per cent in June. This is the highest [...]
WH Smith, M&S and Argos among hundreds fined for failing to pay minimum wage June 21, 2023 Hundreds of businesses including high-street heavyweights WH Smith, M&S and Argos have been named and shamed after being fined for failing to pay workers the minimum wage. Firms from sole traders to household names were ordered to repay 63,000 staff lost wages totalling close to £5m, after breaching National Minimum Wage (NMW) law. WH Smith [...]
US economic growth slows in first quarter as weekly jobless claims fall April 27, 2023 U.S. economic growth slowed more than expected in the first, despite an increase in consumer spending, and activity is set to moderate further as the effects of higher interest rates spread. Gross domestic product increased at a 1.1 per cent annualized rate last quarter, the Commerce Department said in its advance estimate of first-quarter GDP growth on Thursday. [...]
US economy adds 236,000 jobs in March as Fed rate hikes help cool labour market April 7, 2023 The US added 236,000 new jobs in March, the latest sign that the labour market is beginning to cool as the US Federal Reserve (Fed) continues to hike interest rates. The number of new jobs fell below the number added in February and the average monthly gain of 334,000 recorded in the last six months, [...]
Skills shortage doubled since pre-Brexit and pandemic as four in five firms struggle to fill roles March 27, 2023 Four in five businesses are struggling to fill vacancies because of a lack of skilled workers – the highest number in 17 years, new research suggests. Employment group Manpower said the number of employers reporting skills shortages has increased six-fold over the last decade – and more than doubled since pre-Brexit and the pandemic. A [...]
Stagnant wages since 2008 financial crash means workers £11,000 worse off, BBC Panorama reveals March 20, 2023 Workers are £11,000 worse off per year due to 15 years of wage stagnation, according to the Resolution Foundation. In new figures shared with BBC Panorama, the think tank calculated that, had wages continued to grow at the pace seen before the 2008 financial crash, the average worker would make £11,000 more per year than [...]
Budget ‘returnerships’: Will Jeremy Hunt’s plans to get over 50s back to work, work? March 15, 2023 Scrapping the lifetime allowance on pensions was just one of several measures announced in the Spring Budget aimed at getting the over 50s back to work, Many argue the move will only affect one per cent of the population, and was aimed at stopping an exodus of NHS doctors – who have often built up [...]