Table of contents
1. Introduction
This article presents 2 analyses of the average weekly earnings (AWE) figures, which are published in the UK Labour Market statistical bulletin. We will update these analyses every month. The first section describes real AWE, which is AWE deflated by the Consumer Prices Index. The second section analyses single month movements in the nominal AWE.
Back to table of contents2. Real AWE
The figures show the recent movements in real AWE (whole economy). This is calculated as nominal unadjusted AWE, divided by the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). This series is calculated for regular and total pay at the whole economy level and then seasonally adjusted. The data in Figures 1 and 2 are levels of real and nominal AWE, shown on a monthly basis, with an index of 2000 = 100. Figure 3 shows 3 months on 3 months previous year increases in these derived indices. The data are available in dataset EARN01, together with estimates of real AWE at 2000 prices.
Comparing the 3 months to October 2016 with the same period in 2015, real AWE (total pay) grew by 1.7%, the same as the growth seen in the 3 months to September. Nominal AWE (total pay) grew by 2.5% in the 3 months to October, while the CPI increased by 0.9% in the year to October 2016. Over the same 3-month period, real AWE (regular pay) grew by 1.7%, the same as the growth seen in the 3 months to September. The nominal AWE (regular pay) rose by 2.6% in the 3 months to October.
Figure 1: Average weekly earnings regular pay: real and nominal, seasonally adjusted, 2000=100
Great Britain, January 2000 to October 2016
Source: Office for National Statistics, Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey (MWSS)
Notes:
- p = provisional, r = revised.
Download this chart Figure 1: Average weekly earnings regular pay: real and nominal, seasonally adjusted, 2000=100
Image .csv .xls
Figure 2: Average weekly earnings total pay: real and nominal, seasonally adjusted, 2000=100
Great Britain, January 2000 to October 2016
Source: Office for National Statistics, Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey (MWSS)
Notes:
- p = provisional, r = revised.
Download this chart Figure 2: Average weekly earnings total pay: real and nominal, seasonally adjusted, 2000=100
Image .csv .xls
Figure 3: Average weekly earnings total and regular real pay annual growth rates, seasonally adjusted
January to March 2001 to July to October 2016 (3-month average time periods)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey (MWSS)
Notes:
- p = provisional, r = revised.
Download this chart Figure 3: Average weekly earnings total and regular real pay annual growth rates, seasonally adjusted
Image .csv .xls3. Contributions to nominal AWE – single month
The wages and employment contributions underlying the latest average weekly earnings (AWE) data are available on our website in the EARN02 dataset each month. The “employment contribution”, shown in these figures, changes if the relative proportion of employment in the 24 industrial headings changes, but will not necessarily change if total employment increases. Employment contributions were significantly negative in 2009 and 2010, largely caused by a shift away from employment in financial and insurance activities, which are relatively highly paid industries.
Figures 4 and 5 summarise the recent figures.
Figure 4: Average weekly earnings total pay by contributions
Great Britain, January 2001 to October 2016
Source: Office for National Statistics, Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey (MWSS)
Notes:
- p = provisional, r = revised.
Download this chart Figure 4: Average weekly earnings total pay by contributions
Image .csv .xls
Figure 5: Average weekly earnings regular pay by contributions
Great Britain, January 2001 to October 2016
Source: Office for National Statistics, Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey (MWSS)
Notes:
- p = provisional, r = revised.
Download this chart Figure 5: Average weekly earnings regular pay by contributions
Image .csv .xlsEmployment contributions were 0.1% for both total pay and regular pay in October 2016.
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