Wages hit hardest in nearly half a century as prices soar

Trade Union Congress (TUC) figures show that once the rising cost of living is taken into account, wages fell by 3% in 2022 - the biggest drop since 1977

Workers have lost £76 a month on average this year because their wages have not kept pace with inflation (

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This has been the worst year for real wage growth in nearly half a century, it has been warned.

The TUC said that once the rising cost of living is taken into account, wages are down 3% in 2022.

This is the largest drop since 1977 and the second worst since 1945.

Workers have lost £76 a month on average this year as their wages have not kept pace with inflation, and those in the public sector have lost £180, according to the union body.

The study says the real pay of nurses has fallen by £1,800 over the last year, that of paramedics by £2,400 and that of midwives by £2,400.

TUC General Secretary Frances O'Grady has argued that it is wrong that ordinary families are being 'brutally exposed' to rising costs as ministers lift the cap on bankers' bonuses.

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Frances O'Grady of the TUC said ordinary families are "brutally exposed" to the rising cost of living (

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She said: "People should be able to look forward to Christmas without having to worry about how they're going to pay, but family budgets have been shattered by soaring bills and more than a decade of salary has been blocked.< /p>

“Conservatives have presided over the longest real wage squeeze in over 200 years. It's a sign of shame.

"The Conservatives' failure to raise wages has left millions of households brutally exposed to the cost of living emergency. It's time to reward hard work, not wealth.

"We cannot be a country where