UK Wage Growth Jumps To 2.7%

Average weekly earnings excluding bonuses rise 2.7% year on year. This is the strongest wage growth since February 2009.

Average weekly earnings for the period February to April 2015 were 2.7% higher than the same period last year. This is highest annual growth rate since the three months to February 2009.

For April 2015 average regular pay (excluding bonuses) for employees in Great Britain was £462 per week before tax and other deductions from pay

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said: " higher three month average growth rates were recorded, for both regular pay and total pay, across a wide range of industries in the private sector compared with January to March 2015."

Since comparable records began in 2000, average total pay for employees in Great Britain has increased from £311 a week in January 2000 to £493 a week in April 2015; an increase of 58.3%. Between January 2000 and April 2015, the Consumer Prices Index increased by 39.0%.

In the same Labour Market release the ONS said there were 424,000 more people in work compared to last year. This has helped lower the unemployment rate to 5.5%, down from 6.6% last year.

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