Stark pay differences across the UK revealed
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Pay differences between parts of the UK described as “stark” have been revealed in a new study. Average annual salaries in the South East are £12,800 higher – and in London nearly £20,000 higher – than in places with the lowest pay such as Burnley, Huddersfield and Middlesbrough, according to Centre for Cities.
The think tank said its research suggested that by August, the average worker in London has earned what the annual pay of an average worker in Burnley. The pay divide is the result of some cities having more “cutting edge” private sector jobs and businesses than others, said the report.
Places with the highest pay such as London and Cambridge were said to have more than twice as many cutting-edge firms and three times as many cutting-edge jobs in sectors like biotech and AI than low-pay places such as Burnley, Huddersfield and Middlesbrough.
Centre for Cities described its findings as stark, saying they highlighted the importance of the Government delivering on its ambitions to raise economic growth this year. Out of the 63 largest towns and cities, nearly all those with above-average salaries for the UK are in the South East, including Reading and Milton Keynes, with seven places in the rest of the country having salaries above the UK average – Leeds, Warrington, Derby, Swindon, Bristol, Aberdeen and Edinburgh, said the report.
