UK basic wage growth hits record, adding to Bank of England's worries

UK basic wage growth hits record, adding to Bank of England's worries

Business

Annual pay growth including bonuses accelerated to 8.2%

LONDON (Reuters)- British wages excluding bonuses were a record 7.8% higher than a year earlier in the three months to June, official figures from showed on Tuesday, adding to worries for the Bank of England about long-term inflation.

The data also showed some fresh signs of cooling in the labour market with the unemployment rate unexpectedly rising to 4.2% from 4.0%, the highest since the three months to October 2021, the Office for National Statistics said.

But the increase in basic earnings - the strongest in records data back to 2001 - represented further impetus for Britain’s high rate of inflation with many employers resorting to increased pay offers to retain or attract staff.

Annual pay growth including bonuses accelerated to 8.2%, the fastest in the ONS data excluding the coronavirus pandemic period when government job subsidies distorted the data. Sterling rose against the dollar and euro after Tuesday’s data.