General · 21 April 2026

UK pay growth falls to five-year low

Household budgets could stay tight as wages rose more slowly, even though fewer people were counted as unemployed. Office for National Statistics figures showed unemployment fell to 4.9% in the three months to February, down from 5.2%, while regular pay growth slowed to 3.6%. Vacancies dropped to 711,000, the lowest level in almost five years.

By BriefTea Editorial · 21 April 2026 at 17:38

Reported by The Guardian · How we write briefs

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