Average earnings decline in NI

Average earnings in Northern Ireland increased faster than in the rest of the UK in the year to the end of April, according to new figures released today.

However, people in Northern Ireland still earn considerably less than their counterparts in Britain, the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) shows.

Gross weekly earnings for employees in the North increased 3.4 per cent to £356.7 over the year, while it rose 2.2 per cent to £397.3 per week for workers in the rest of Britain.

Overall, the gap between earnings for workers in Britain and Northern Ireland declined by 1 per cent to 10 per cent.

Growth in earnings for employees was lower for both regions compared to last year, when it was 4.6 per cent in the North and 3.4 per cent in the United Kingdom .

Over the year, gross weekly full-time earnings among Northern Ireland employees increased by 5.1 per cent, compared to 2 per cent in the UK.

The median gross weekly earnings figure for full-time employees in the north at the end of April was £439.1

Gross weekly earnings for part-time employees increased 6.3 per cent in Northern Ireland over the year as against 4. per cent in the rest of the UK.

The median gross weekly earnings figure for part-time employees in the North at the end of April was £152.9.

There has been a widening of the gender pay gap for all employees in Northern Ireland with women earning 87.3 per cent of what men earn.