It’s good to focus on overtime, not just Uber 11 July 2017 by Torsten Bell When a government publishes a Big Review – and at 115 pages the Taylor Review certainly fits that bill – the temptation is to rush into the weeds of its very many recommendations. But before we do that it’s worth stepping back and considering how remarkable it is that we’re even here in the … Continued READ MORE
New minimum overtime wage could affect millions of supermarket staff and care workers 11 July 2017 The Taylor Review could mean far more for low-paid workers in retail, hospitality and social care than those operating in the gig economy, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday). The Foundation says that for all the focus on the gig economy, it is the recommendation of a new minimum overtime wage that could have … Continued READ MORE
The growth of advanced industries has created 150,000 extra local jobs – and low qualified workers gain most 10 July 2017 The local employment benefits of growing advanced industries spread well beyond workers in those sectors, a new report from the Resolution Foundation published today (Monday) has found. However, this good news for jobs does not spill over into good news for pay, so low-paying sectors should also be a key focus for the government’s industrial … Continued READ MORE
Austerity can’t be ended without significant tax rises or higher levels of debt 8 July 2017 The Chancellor could uncap public sector pay, unfreeze benefits and undo planned departmental spending cuts, but only at the cost of significant tax rises or ripping up his fiscal plans, according to new analysis published today (Saturday) by the Resolution Foundation. With the shock election result last month leading many politicians to conclude that seven … Continued READ MORE
Britain should prepare now for the end of unlimited cheap labour 7 July 2017 Britain should prepare now for the end of unlimited cheap labour The UK labour market is at a tipping point, with the coming together of falling migration and the rising cost of low-paid labour set to fundamentally reshape the world of work over the coming years, according to a new book published today (Friday) by … Continued READ MORE
Minimum wage protection should be extended to the self-employed in the gig economy and other sectors 4 July 2017 RF proposal would protect the self-employed who do not set their own prices from extreme low pay The government should extend minimum wage legislation to protect some of the UK’s 4.8 million self-employed workforce as part of its drive to tackle low pay and insecurity in the modern workforce, according to a new report published today … Continued READ MORE
Londoners and the under 40s have experienced the biggest pay falls as the wage squeeze returns 2 July 2017 Typical hourly pay for workers living in London, Northern Ireland and those under the age of 40 were still at least 11 per cent below pre-crisis levels as the pay squeeze returned at the start of the year, according to the Resolution Foundation’s latest Earnings Outlook published today (Sunday). With real average weekly earnings … Continued READ MORE
Britain should aim to have the lowest persistent poverty rates in Europe 27 June 2017 Commenting on the latest ONS figures on persistent poverty published today (Tuesday), David Finch, Senior Economic Analyst at the Resolution Foundation, said: “While overall poverty rates in the UK are broadly in line with the rest of Europe, it’s encouraging to see that the risk of staying in poverty is far lower here, though it … Continued READ MORE
Britain’s increasingly unevenly shared property wealth is driving up inequality after a decade-long fall 18 June 2017 The spreading of property wealth across Britain in the mid-1990s and mid-2000s fueled a decade-long fall in wealth inequality but that progress has now gone into reverse, according to a new report to be published later this week by the Resolution Foundation. The report, launching a major programme of work on wealth across Britain for … Continued READ MORE
Pay squeeze tightens sharply despite low unemployment 14 June 2017 Real earnings growth falls to lowest level outside of the great pay squeeze in nearly 40 years Real pay growth dropped to its lowest level outside the great pay squeeze that followed the financial crisis in nearly 40 years, despite unemployment remaining at its lowest level since 1975, the Resolution Foundation said today in response … Continued READ MORE
Rising inflation means Britain is set for a longer, deeper pay squeeze 13 June 2017 The latest rise in inflation will deepen Britain’s pay squeeze, while further falls in sterling could add further inflationary pressures in the coming months, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest inflation figures. CPIH increased from 2.6% to 2.7% in May, while CPI increased from 2.7% to 2.9%. The Foundation notes … Continued READ MORE
New survey shows businesses are totally unprepared for a new era of lower migration 12 June 2017 Employers are totally unprepared for the fall in migration that the new government has pledged to deliver once Britain leaves the EU, according to a new survey commissioned by the Resolution Foundation. With formal Brexit negotiations set to start in just seven days’ time, the survey identifies a huge gap between the kind of … Continued READ MORE
Main parties’ tax and benefit plans to hit younger generations hardest 1 June 2017 The tax and benefit policies of the two main parties risk further straining the contract between generations by hitting younger working age families more than older generations, new analysis of the parties’ manifestos by the Resolution Foundation published today (Thursday) has found. Fairness between generations has emerged as a strong theme across both manifestos. The … Continued READ MORE
Sharp fall in migration from Eastern Europe means many firms will face a very different post-Brexit labour market 25 May 2017 The sharp fall in net migration since the referendum shows that businesses relying on migrant workers should prepare for a very different labour market, the Resolution Foundation said in response to the latest net migration figures published today (Thursday). The latest figures show that the 84,000 fall in migration was led by a rising number … Continued READ MORE
Gap between rich and poor areas is rising post crisis, even while gap between rich and poor households has fallen 24 May 2017 The gap between rich and poor areas is rising, despite the gap between rich and poor households having fallen since the financial crisis. This is according to Resolution Foundation analysis of ONS Regional Gross Household Disposable Income (GHDI) figures published this morning. The Resolution Foundation analysis shows that the ratio between the richest and poorest … Continued READ MORE
Higher pension deficit payments are reducing workers’ pay by £200 a year 22 May 2017 Squeeze extends to low earners who are outside their companies’ DB pension schemes Today’s employees are footing part of the bill for plugging historic gaps in defined benefit (DB) pension schemes, even when they have no claim on the pension pot, according to a first of its kind study published today (Monday) by the Resolution … Continued READ MORE
Home ownership for young families has halved in West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Outer London since the 1990s 19 May 2017 Getting on the housing ladder is a thing of the past for many young families across the country, with home ownership halving among this group between 1994 and 2016 in areas such as West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester and Outer London, new analysis by the Resolution Foundation has found. The new research counters the popular perception … Continued READ MORE
Pay squeeze returns amidst renewed jobs boom 17 May 2017 Britain kicked off 2017 with a renewed jobs boom and a painful pay squeeze, the Resolution Foundation said today in response to the latest labour market figures. Employment reached an all-time high of 74.8 per cent in the three months to March, while unemployment fell to the lowest level since 1975. In contrast, real … Continued READ MORE
Sharp inflation rise deepens Britain’s pay squeeze 16 May 2017 Britain’s pay squeeze is on course to deepen in April as a result of a sharp increase in inflation, the Resolution Foundation said in response to the latest inflation figures today. The Resolution Foundation’s latest pay projection following today’s inflation figures indicates that real pay looks to have fallen by between -0.3% and -0.6% … Continued READ MORE
Tax rises have made an election comeback 16 May 2017 Tax rises have made a comeback in the 2017 General Election, marking a big change from recent elections where tax cuts have been front and centre of parties’ manifestos, according to a new briefing note published today (Tuesday) by the Resolution Foundation. The report notes that both Labour and the Lib Dems have committed … Continued READ MORE
Bank of England confirms the return of the earnings squeeze 11 May 2017 Britain is on course for a renewed earnings squeeze, following a sizeable revision of the Bank’s near-term forecasts for pay, productivity and household income growth, the Resolution Foundation said today (Thursday) in response to the latest Inflation Report. The Bank is predicting a 0.8 per cent drop in average pay over the course of 2017, … Continued READ MORE
The forgotten deficit – huge uncertainty over parties’ fiscal plans just four weeks from polling day 11 May 2017 Huge uncertainties about the main parties’ fiscal stances, just four weeks from polling day, mean that there could be as little as £7bn difference between them – or well over £50bn. This is according to a new report published today (Thursday) by the Resolution Foundation. The Deficit the Election Forgot notes how the deficit has … Continued READ MORE
Older households on modest incomes are struggling to save for retirement despite 20-year jobs boom 3 May 2017 The recent pay squeeze has left many of Britain’s 1.8 million older low and middle income households struggling to save for retirement, despite enjoying strong employment growth over the last 20 years. This is according to a new report published today (Wednesday) by the Centre for Ageing Better and the Resolution Foundation. With the electoral … Continued READ MORE
Real wages falling in 40 per cent of the economy despite further falls in unemployment 12 April 2017 Real wages falling in 40 per cent of the economy despite further falls in unemployment Around 40 per cent of the workforce are in sectors where pay is falling in real terms, the Resolution Foundation said today (Wednesday) in response to the latest ONS labour market figures. Real pay growth fell to 0.1 per … Continued READ MORE
A pause in inflation rises won’t prevent Britain’s pay squeeze returning – six months ahead of schedule 11 April 2017 The latest inflation figure of 2.3 per cent for March means that real average earnings look set to have fallen during the first three months of 2017, six months ahead of the OBR’s projection in the recent Budget, the Resolution Foundation said today (Tuesday) in response to the latest ONS figures. The Foundation’s updated … Continued READ MORE