Pay packets are falling even further behind rising cost of living

date: 13 November 2012

embargo: For immediate release

Commenting on the latest inflation figures published today (Tuesday) by the Office for National Statistics - which show that CPI inflation increased to 2.7 per cent and RPI inflation to 3.2 per cent in October - TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said:

'These figures are a big blow to millions of workers who need their pay packets to catch up with the rising cost of living.

'Much of this rise is a direct result of government policy. The trebling of tuition fees has dealt another blow to young people already struggling for work.

'People have been getting poorer for nearly three years now and their incomes are being squeezed even tighter. It could take many years to undo the damage caused by our living standards crunch.'

NOTES TO EDITORS:

- The latest inflation figures are available at http://bit.ly/TXjdA6

- The latest available figures for average weekly earnings (June-August 2012) show that total pay rose by by 1.7 per cent on a year earlier.

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

- Follow the TUC on Twitter: @tucnews

Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
Rob Holdsworth T: 020 7467 1372 M: 07717 531150 E: rholdsworth@tuc.org.uk
Alex Rossiter T: 020 7467 1337 M: 07887 572130 E: arossiter@tuc.org.uk