MANPOWERGROUP PAY LEAGUE 2015: NORTH WEST

• £15,000 pay gap between the best and worst paid regions of the North West
• Manufacturing workers earn more than those in the service sector
• Growing gender pay divide in the North West

There is a huge pay gap between the best and worst paid full-time workers living in the North West region, with people living in Trafford the best paid, earning up to £15,000 more than those living in Blackpool. ManpowerGroup’s analysis revealed people living in Trafford earn £37,700 annually, whereas workers living in Blackpool receive an average of £22,300 per annum.

That’s one of the findings of the ManpowerGroup Pay League, a new series of regional insights into UK pay trends from ManpowerGroup, the world leader in innovative workforce solutions.

ManpowerGroup’s analysis is based on the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings from the Office of National Statistics.

Average annual pay for those living in the region rose 0.4% between 2013 and 2014 – slower than the rate of increase in the UK as a whole, where pay rose 0.6%. At an average of £29,900, annual pay in the North West is more than £3,000 lower than the UK average of £33,500.

However, the North West’s major cities have seen sharp increases in average earnings. Manchester and Liverpool have seen full-time pay rise by more than 3% since 2013, four times faster than the national average and around seven times faster than the North West region as a whole. The cities are almost neck and neck in the pay stakes but, with average annual full-time pay of £29,200 compared with Manchester’s £28,900, Liverpool is slightly ahead.

Looking towards the North West’s less well-populated areas, ManpowerGroup’s analysis reveals that Ribble Valley and Copeland – two predominantly rural areas in the north of the region – have the second and third highest average levels of pay overall. Along with Trafford, they are the only parts of the region where average annual full-time pay tops £37,000. The impressive pay in these areas underlines the impact that a single major employer can have on a local economy: BAE Systems is a major employer in Ribble Valley, while Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant is in Copeland.

With production industries employing nearly 370,000 people in the North West, more than in any other region in the UK, manufacturing is a big driver of prosperity and pay growth in the region. Full-time pay in the North West’s manufacturing sector rose by 3.1% over the year to £32,400, far outstripping the overall increase in pay across the region as well as the UK as a whole.

Greg Hollis, Operations Manager at Manpower, comments, “Manufacturing has long been a key part of the North West’s jobs economy, and the increasingly skilled nature of manufacturing work has had a profound impact on pay in the region. As the industrial processes carried out by employers in the region have become more complex, so the salaries have risen in line with the level of specialist skills required.

ManpowerGroup’s analysis has revealed a marked and increasing pay gap between the region’s men and women. Average pay per hour for men in full-time work rose 0.9% to £15.47 whereas women in full-time work saw their pay fall 0.1%, to £13.40. The growing pay divide means that men in full-time work are now paid on average 15% more per hour than women.

Greg Hollis again: “There is a marked difference in pay growth between men and women in the North West. One reason for this growing divide is that many of the roles and industries which have thrived in the region in recent years have traditionally been male-dominated so the sharp pay rises will be enjoyed by more men than women. This contrasts sharply with the pay fall we have reported for full-time workers in caring, leisure and other service occupations, which tend to employ a higher proportion of female workers. Workers in these sectors saw their pay decrease by 2.5% to £17,000.

“However, the gender imbalances in these sectors are certainly on the way out. Our clients in the region are focused on attracting as diverse a workforce as possible and making sure that there is equality throughout the recruitment process. We are seeing more and more women seeking work in the booming manufacturing sector, which should hopefully start to close the gender pay gap.”

For further information, please contact:

Brunswick – Helen Smith / Rebecca Lum 020 7404 5959

Email: [email protected]

About ManpowerGroup UK

For 65 years, ManpowerGroup has been dedicated to enriching people’s lives with quality employment and training opportunities. Together, our comprehensive family of brands offers the full spectrum of workforce solutions needed to address the complex challenges businesses face. ManpowerGroup’s suite of solutions is offered through ManpowerGroup™ Solutions, Manpower®, Experis™ and Right Management®. From contingent and permanent recruitment, workforce consulting, outsourcing and career management to assessment, training and development, ManpowerGroup delivers the talent to drive the innovation and productivity of organisations.

ManpowerGroup UK has more than 30,000 people on assignment in any given week and through 300 locations, services the needs of 5,000 employers each year.

In 2014, ManpowerGroup was named one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies for the fourth consecutive year, confirming our position as the most trusted brand in the industry.

For more information, see www.manpowergroup.co.uk

About the ManpowerGroup Pay League

ManpowerGroup’s Pay League analysis is based on data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). ASHE is based on a one per cent sample of employee jobs taken from HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) PAYE records, collated and analysed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The data does not include self-employed workers. The latest data was published in November 2014, reflecting the tax year 2013-2014. Full data tables can be found on the ONS website.