Pay still lagging behind 2008 level

WORKERS in the North East are still £15 a week worse off in real terms than before the financial crash in 2008, according to a new report.

Yet that is the smallest difference between then and now for the whole of the UK.

A TUC report based on Office for National Statistics figures show that for the year to April 2017 real wages in the North East were 3.5% below their 2008 level.

Nationally, inflation has overtaken wage growth for the last six months, says the TUC, which is concerned that next year could be even worse.

Beth Farhat, TUC regional secretary for the North East, said: “Most families still haven’t recovered from the financial crash, yet their pay packets are now taking another hammering. It’s leaving millions of working people facing hardship and getting deeper into debt.

“Public-sector workers have had it especially hard, with real pay cuts for seven long years. The Chancellor must use next month’s budget to give them the pay rise they’ve earned.

“He should also use the budget to help bring great jobs to the North East, by investing in skills and infrastructure. And he must help low-paid workers by raising the minimum wage to £10 an hour as soon as possible.”

For the UK as a whole the average worker is £38 a week worse off. The worst affected region is Yorkshire and Humber, where workers are £46 a week worse off.