NI Earnings Lag Behind UK

Average earnings for full-time employees in Northern Ireland fell by 0.2% to £23,900 in 2013, in contrast to a 2.1% growth in the UK to £27,000.

Results from the latest Northern Ireland Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) were published today by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA).

The report found that average weekly earnings for all Northern Ireland employees, both full and part-time, increased by 1.7% to £367 over the year.

However, this was in comparison to the UK, where earnings increased by 2.6% to £417.

NI full-time employees experienced an increase in their median gross weekly earnings of 0.5% to £460 over the year to April 2013, but growth was still lower than the UK, which experienced an increase of 2.2% to £518.

Part-time NI employees experienced a 3.8% increase in their gross weekly earnings (£154) at April 2013, compared to 3.1% growth in UK earnings (£160 per week).

However, the period March 2012 to March 2013 saw the number of employee jobs in Northern Ireland increase by 0.5%, compared to a 0.3% increase in GB.

The NI unemployment rate, as measured by the Labour Force Survey, showed an increase between March - May 2012 and March - May 2013, from 6.9% to 7.8%.

(IT/JP)