\n<\/p>\n
Wage growth in the UK cooled slightly over the summer, as unemployment ticked up slightly.<\/p>\n
Annual growth in employees’ average earnings was 4.7% in the three months to August, down from 4.8% over the previous three months, according to new data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).<\/p>\n
The national unemployment rate was 4.8% in August, a slight increase from 4.7% in July.<\/p>\n
The ONS has said the unemployment figures should be treated with caution and it is taking additional steps to address concerns about the quality of the data.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Liz McKeown, the ONS’s director of economic statistics, said: “The increase in unemployment was driven mostly by younger people.”<\/p>\n
Private sector earnings growth was the lowest in four years but was still ahead of inflation.<\/p>\n
Annual growth in workers’ average earnings was 6% for the public sector and 4.4% for the private sector.<\/p>\n
The ONS said the public sector annual growth rate is affected by some public sector pay rises being paid earlier in 2025 than in 2024.<\/p>\n
After the public sector, the wholesaling, retailing, hotels and restaurants sector showed the strongest regular annual growth rate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n