UK wage growth rises to 11-year high

UK wage growth picked up to 3.9% in the year to June, the highest rate for 11 years, according to the ONS.

Employment rates were estimated at 76.1%, the joint highest since records began in 1971.

ONS deputy head of labour market statistics Matt Hughes said most of the growth this year was due to more women in employment.

According to the UK Labour Market statistics, the number of self-employed people hit 4.96 million.

Royal London pension specialist Helen Morrissey said: “Today’s figures show we have a growing army of people who are choosing to go down the self-employment route. While this can bring more flexibility this group are particularly vulnerable when it comes to planning for retirement.

"The government can no longer ignore the needs of almost five million people and it must look at how to bring the self-employed into the auto-enrolment regime so they can safeguard their future by saving into a pension.”

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