In parts of North East over one third of jobs pay less than the living wage

In some parts of the North East over one third of jobs are paying less than the living wage, the TUC reveals today (Tuesday) to coincide with the 15^th anniversary of the introduction of the minimum wage and the second week of the TUC’s Fair Pay Fortnight which runs until Sunday (6 April).

TUC analysis of official figures from the House of Commons Library shows that across the UK, around five million people get paid less than the living wage, so on average one in five jobs pays under the living wage – currently set at £8.80 in London and £7.65 across the rest of the UK.

The North East reflects the national average with more than one in five (22 per cent) people receiving less than the living wage, but this figure is a great deal higher in some parts of the region.  Darlington tops the region’s blackspots with 37.6 per cent of people paid less that the living wage, closely followed by Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland (36.1 per cent), Blaydon (34.2 per cent), Hartlepool (32.8 per cent) and Berwick-upon-Tweed (31.7 per cent).

For working women the picture is even bleaker. Nearly half of women working in Hartlepool (48.2 per cent) and Blyth Valley (45.3 per cent) take home less than the living wage. And unfortunately, the proportion of women earning less than £7.65 an hour in Blaydon (44.8%), Darlington (44.5%) and Berwick-upon-Tweed (43.1%) isn’t much lower.

At the other end of the income scale, in some parts of the country – mostly in the South East – as few as five per cent of workers are paid under the living wage.

Northern TUC Regional Secretary Beth Farhat said: “Extending the living wage is a vital way of tackling the growing problem of in-work poverty across Britain.

“Working families are experiencing the biggest pressure on their living standards since Victorian times. Pay has been squeezed at all levels below the boardroom and it’s costing our economy dear.

“The number of living wage employers is growing rapidly and unions are playing their part in encouraging more employers to sign up and pay it – but government must show equal initiative. We need to see a far greater commitment to pay the living wage from government and employers, and modern wages councils which could set higher minimum rates in industries where employers can afford to pay their staff more.

“During Fair Pay Fortnight we’re asking workers to back our call to MPs to get all political parties to put decent pay at the top of their agendas in the run up to the election.”

Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham said: “'The Living Wage is good for everyone. Good for the employee and their family - they have enough to live on; good for the employer in recruitment, retention and morale of their staff; good for us all. The Living Wage makes sense for everyone. It makes sense economically, socially, morally and spiritually. It helps us all build better lives and a better society.”

NOTES TO EDITORS:

Top 5 NE living wage blackspots (men and women)

Top 5 NE living wage brightspots (men and women)

Top 5 NE living wage blackspots (women)

Top 5 NE living wage brightspots (women)

House of Commons Library figures, based on data from the Office for National Statistics

- The full analysis of who is paid under the living wage by constituency and local authority is available at www.tuc.org.uk/sites/default/files/House%20of%20Commons%20LW%20data.xlsx

- The TUC is organising Fair Pay Fortnight from Monday 24 March to Sunday 6 April. It will be a series of events across England and Wales to raise awareness about falling living standards. www.fairpayfortnight.org  

- All TUC press releases can be found at www.tuc.org.uk

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Beth Farhat   T: 0191 227 5565    M: 07747636408    E: bfarhat@tuc.org.uk
Neil Foster    T: 0191 227 5554    M: 0786717972E: nfoster@tuc.org.uk

Susanne Nichol   T: 0191 2275553    M: 07771873108     E: snichol@tuc.org.uk