Employee earnings in Northern Ireland

Key Points

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees (“weekly earnings”) in April 2023 was £641, an increase of 7.4% from £597 in 2022. This is the third consecutive annual increase in weekly earnings and the second largest increase on record.
In the UK, weekly earnings were £682 in April 2023, an increase of 6.2% from 2022 (£642), the largest annual increase on record.
In real terms (that is, adjusted for inflation) weekly earnings in NI decreased by 0.3% over the year to April 2023, which is the second consecutive real terms decrease, following the largest annual decrease in real earnings on record last year (3.7%). For the UK as a whole, real weekly earnings decreased by 1.5% over the year, following a decrease of 2.4% last year.
Of the 12 UK regions, NI experienced the second largest increase in weekly earnings over the year, and is now the fifth lowest region, with London (£840) highest and the North East (£608) lowest.
Approximately 11% of all jobs in NI were ‘low-paid’. Although this was a record low, it was the joint highest proportion of the 12 UK regions.
The proportion of jobs paid below the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage increased to 1.3% in 2023. This is similar to both last year (1.0%) and pre-COVID levels (1.1% in 2019), and is well below the 2020 and 2021 rates (11% and 5.8%), where 90% of those below the National Living/National Minimum Wage were on furlough.
Private sector weekly earnings increased by 9.3% over the year, while public sector weekly earnings increased by 0.1%. In real terms, this was an increase of 1.4% in weekly earnings in the private sector, but a decrease of 7.2% in public sector weekly earnings. Weekly earnings in the public sector (£733) were 22% higher than in the private sector (£599), the smallest difference on record.
The gender pay gap for all employees (full-time and part-time combined) in NI was 7.8% in favour of males in 2023. This gap has increased (from 7.5%) over the last year, and this is the second consecutive year that the gap has widened. In comparison, females in the UK have earned around 15% less than males on average for the last four years.
NI remains the only region in the UK where full-time females earn more per hour on average than full-time males. In NI, full-time females earned 3.5% more than full-time males in 2023, whilst, in the UK as a whole, full-time females earned 7.7% less per hour than full-time males.
Median annual earnings for full-time employees in NI were £32,900 in 2023, lower than the UK median of £35,000. The highest 10% of earners earned at least £59,000.

Commentary

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI increased by 7.4% over the year, the second largest increase on record. NI earnings in 2023 saw the second largest increase of all the UK regions and were 20% higher than their pre-pandemic position in 2019.

Real weekly earnings in NI decreased in 2023 (0.3%) for the second consecutive year, following the largest decrease on record (3.7%) in 2022. Real earnings are now 0.6% higher than the pre-COVID position in 2019 and 9.0% higher than they were 20 years ago. Real earnings in the public sector fell by 7.2% over the year, compared with an increase of 1.4% in the private sector. When considering public and private sector earnings over the last two decades, the public sector showed no growth in real earnings, in contrast to a growth of 13% in the private sector.

The proportion of low-paid jobs in NI fell for the third consecutive year to a record low (11%). This proportion has generally been falling since the introduction of the National Living Wage in 2016. However, despite these improvements, NI had the joint highest proportion of low-paid jobs of all regions in the UK in 2023.

When considering all employees regardless of working pattern, the gender pay gap in NI was 7.8% in favour of males in 2023. This means that, for every £1 earned by men, women earned 92p. By contrast, the gender pay gap was in favour of females when considering full-time (3.5%) and part-time (1.7%) employees.

1. Overview of earnings

The headline measure of earnings from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees. This is referred to throughout the report as “weekly earnings”. The mean is not used to summarise earnings as it is susceptible to small numbers of very high earners. A visual explanation of this is available on the NISRA website. Throughout the publication the terms ‘median’ and ‘on average’ are used interchangeably. All ASHE data relate to a pay period that includes a reference date in April of the specified year.

1.1 Median weekly earnings in NI and the UK

Gross weekly pay includes basic pay, overtime pay, commissions, shift premium pay, bonus or incentive pay and allowances, and is before deductions for PAYE, National Insurance, pension schemes, student loan repayments and voluntary deductions.

Median measures the amount earned by the average individual, i.e. the level of earnings at which half the population are above and half the population are below.

Full-time employee is defined as anyone aged 16 years or over that is directly paid from a business’s payroll for carrying out more than 30 paid hours per week (or 25 or more for the teaching professions).

Key findings

Weekly earnings in NI increased by £44 (7.4%) over the year to £641, which is the third consecutive annual increase and the second largest increase on record.
UK weekly earnings increased by £40 (6.2%) to £682, which is the largest annual increase on record.

Figure 1: Since 2020, earnings have grown at the fastest rate in 20 years

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI and the UK, April 2003 to April 2023

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

Download data:

Over the last 20 years in NI, weekly earnings for full-time employees have increased by an average of around £14 each year. Since 2020, each of the annual increases have been above average. The largest annual increase was recorded in 2021 (£46), however, this did follow a decrease in earnings in 2020 when many employees were furloughed. The most recent annual increase to 2023 (£44) is, not only the second largest increase of the last 20 years, but the second largest since records began in 1997.

Weekly earnings increased in all 12 UK regions over the year. The increase of 7.4% in NI was the second largest increase of all the regions with weekly earnings in NI now the fifth lowest of all the UK regions. NI weekly earnings were £641, 5.9% below UK earnings (£682) in 2023.

1.2 Public/private sector comparison

Public sector: The NI public sector can be broken down into five areas: NI central government; Bodies under aegis of NI central government; UK central government employees based in Northern Ireland; Local government; Public corporations.

Private sector: The private sector encompasses all for-profit businesses (that are not owned or operated by the government). This does not include any non-profit body or mutual association.

Key findings

Weekly earnings in the NI public sector were 22% higher than private sector earnings in 2023, which is the smallest gap on record.
2023 saw the largest difference between the annual increases in the NI public and private sectors (0.1% increase in the public sector compared to 9.3% in the private sector).
The large increases in NI private sector weekly earnings over the last three years have led to the smallest percentage difference between UK and NI weekly earnings in the private sector in the last 20 years (11%).
Public sector earnings are higher in NI than in the UK.

Figure 2: Private sector pay grows faster than public sector pay

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in the public and private sectors in NI and the UK, April 2003 to April 2023

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

Download data:

Over the past 20 years, weekly earnings in the NI and UK public sector have been much more closely aligned than those in the NI and UK private sector, with the public sector median for both NI and the UK consistently higher than the private sector medians.

In 2023, weekly earnings of private sector employees increased by 9.3% compared with a 0.1% increase in public sector weekly earnings. This has resulted in the smallest percentage gap between the two sectors on record, with public sector earnings (£733) now 22% higher than private sector earnings (£599). The average gap over the last two decades was around 37%.

In comparison, weekly earnings in the UK were 7.9% higher in the public sector (£723) than in the private sector (£670).

Some of the difference between earnings in the public and private sectors is due to differences in the composition of the respective workforces. The NI ASHE public and private sector analysis document provides detail on the composition of the respective workforces.

Public sector weekly earnings have been similar in NI and the UK over the last two decades with the highest weekly earnings alternating between NI and the UK. There has, however, been more variability in the NI data. Weekly earnings in the NI public sector (£733) were £10 above the UK equivalent (£723) in 2023. This is smaller than the differences recorded in 2022 (£35) and 2021 (£23), which followed two years of lower earnings in NI than the UK in 2019 and 2020. Although UK public sector earnings increased by more (3.7%) than NI public sector earnings (0.1%) this year, the weekly value still remains higher in NI due to the larger increase in NI public sector earnings recorded last year (6.6% compared to 4.9% in the UK).

In contrast, the NI private sector weekly earnings were £71 (11%) below the UK equivalent. This has been a fairly consistent trend over time, however, NI has reported larger rates of change than the UK in the last three consecutive years in the private sector, leading to the smallest percentage difference on record between the NI and UK private sectors.

1.3 Total paid hours

Total weekly paid hours worked is made up of paid basic hours and paid overtime hours. It is calculated using employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence. It includes people on paid leave, but excludes people on statutory sick and maternity pay.

Mean total weekly paid hours worked is the preferred measure of hours worked since it is more responsive to changes in hours across the whole population because of the clustering of hours worked.

Key findings

Mean weekly paid hours for all employees in NI (33.2 hours) decreased from last year (33.4 hours), to the same level recorded in 2020 and 2021.
Full-time weekly paid hours (39.1 hours) have not returned to pre-COVID levels (39.8 hours).

Figure 3: No notable change in the distribution of total paid hours worked over the year

Distribution of total weekly paid hours for all employees in NI, April 2023

Download data:

In 2023, over a third (37%) of NI employees worked between 37 and 40 hours per week, equivalent to a five-day ‘9 to 5’ working pattern. The two largest peaks occur at 37 hours and 40 hours for full-time employees. There are lower, but still noticeable peaks at 42 hours, which includes NI civil servants and 32 hours, which includes school teachers. The working patterns of part-time employees is more varied.

Compared with last year, 2022, the proportion working under 30 hours per week remained unchanged at 26%, whilst the proportion working over 42 hours, decreased slightly from 11% to 10%.

All employees (full-time and part-time combined) in NI worked an average of 33.2 hours per week in 2023, a decrease of 0.2 hours (0.6%) over the year and the same mean weekly paid hours worked in NI in 2020 and 2021. It was also the same as the average number of paid hours worked by all employees in the UK in 2023.

Mean weekly paid hours worked by full-time employees in NI saw a decrease of 0.1 hours (0.3%) over the year to 39.1 hours, again, returning to the levels recorded in 2020 and 2021 and the lowest in the last 20 years. This is 0.7 hours (1.8%) less than the average recorded before COVID (39.8 hours in 2019), but remains higher than the hours worked by full-time employees in the UK (38.6 hours) in 2023.

1.4 Occupation

Occupation: Results are collated using the 2020 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC20).

Key findings

‘Corporate managers and directors’ received the highest earnings (£1,158) in 2023 with an increase of 5.1% over the year.
In contrast, the lowest earnings were recorded in ‘Sales occupations’ (£440) which saw an increase of 10% over the year.

Figure 4: Corporate managers and directors had the highest weekly earnings in 2023

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI by occupation, April 2023

Note: non-zero axis.

Download data:

Figure 4 shows the 2023 weekly earnings for the headline and two-digit SOC occupational groups within NI. The highest earning occupation was ‘Corporate managers and directors’ with weekly earnings of £1,158, an increase of 5.1% over the year. Although this increase was below the NI average (7.4%), these earnings are in the top 10% of all NI full-time earnings in 2023 i.e. they are above NI full-time earnings at the 90th percentile (£1,150).

The lowest earning group was ‘Sales occupations’ with weekly earnings of £440, an increase of 10% over the year. Many employee jobs within this occupational group would be paid around the National Living Wage, which increased from £9.50 to £10.42 (10%) for employees aged 23 and over between 2022 and 2023.

1.5 Industry

Industry: Results are collated using the 2007 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC07).

Key findings

Weekly earnings in 2023 are above 2019 levels for all industries reported.
‘Education’ (£788) remains the highest earning industry in 2023 and ‘Accommodation & food service’ (£452) remains the lowest.
The largest growth was seen in ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ with an increase of 49% (£176) since 2019.

Figure 5: Weekly earnings increased across all industries from 2019 to 2023

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI by industry, April 2019 and April 2023

Note: there was a methodological change in 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

Download data:

The highest paid industry in 2023 was ‘Education’, which now has weekly earnings of £788, an increase of 10% from 2019. However, this increase is well below the NI average (20%). The lowest paid industry was ‘Accommodation and food service’, which now earns £452 on average, an increase of 28% since 2019.

The largest increase since 2019 was in the ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ where weekly earnings increased by almost 50%, from £359 to £535. This coincides with strong inflationary pressures in the food and agricultural produce sector.

The smallest increases recorded since 2019 were in the four industries that make up the majority of public sector jobs. The smallest increase was recorded in the ‘Water supply, sewerage and waste’ industry, which increased by 3.5% from 2019 (£554 to £573), followed by ‘Education’ (10% increase from 2019), ‘Human health’ (11% increase from 2019) and ‘Public administration and defence’ (15% increase from 2019), all below the NI average (20%).

1.6 Local Government District

Local Government District (LGD): Results are collated using the 2014 Local Government District classification (LGD14).

Key findings

In 2023, employees who worked in Belfast had the highest weekly earnings (£700) of the 11 LGDs in NI, while those working in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest (£528).
Employees who lived in Lisburn and Castlereagh had the highest weekly earnings (£699), while those who lived in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest (£561).

Map A: Employees who worked in Belfast had the highest earnings and those who worked in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees by work Local Government District, April 2023

Map showing median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in each LGD in NI. More detail on the trends is included in the text directly below the chart, and data can be downloaded using the button below.

Download data:

When considering earnings by place of work, employees in Belfast continued to be the highest paid in 2023, with weekly earnings of £700. This was £172 more than the weekly earnings for those working in Causeway Coast and Glens (£528), the lowest earning LGD. Belfast was the only LGD with earnings greater than the NI average (£641) in 2023 and had a larger annual increase than the NI average (7.7% compared to 7.4%). Around a third of all full-time employee jobs in NI are within the Belfast LGD.

Over the year, weekly earnings increased for full-time employees working in all 11 LGDs, ranging from a 0.1% increase in Newry, Mourne and Down to a 13% increase in Ards and North Down.

A newly developed ASHE dashboard, presenting maps and charts for the main ASHE measures, is now available online.

Figure 6: Employees who lived in Lisburn and Castlereagh had the highest earnings and those living in Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI by work and home LGD, April 2023

Note: non-zero axis.

Download data:

Figure 6 shows the weekly earnings for those who work in each LGD compared to those who live there. Causeway Coast and Glens had the lowest weekly earnings of all 11 LGDs when considering both the work (£523) and home (£561) location of employees. Employees in Newry, Mourne and Down had the second lowest earnings for both work (£567) and home (£591) location.

At the other end of the scale, those who worked in Belfast had the highest weekly earnings (£700), followed by a cluster of 6 LGDs where people who worked there earned between £613 and £640.

When earnings by place of residence are considered, the ranking of the LGDs changes, reflecting commuting patterns. Those who lived in Lisburn in Castlereagh had the highest earnings (£699), whilst those who lived in Belfast had the sixth-highest earnings (£626). Newry, Mourne and Down was only LGD that reported an annual decrease in the weekly earnings of employees who lived there with a drop of 2.1%.

2. Real earnings

2.1 Real and nominal earnings comparison

Nominal earnings are the actual earnings received by employees each year, and do not take into account the effects of inflation.

Real earnings are earnings with the effects of inflation removed. This provides a comparison of the amount of goods and services that can be bought over time (also known as purchasing power). Real earnings are calculated by adjusting historic earnings data using the Consumer Price Index including owner occupiers’ housing costs (CPIH).

Key findings

Real earnings decreased by £2 (0.3%) over the year to 2023.
This is the second consecutive annual decrease, following the largest annual decrease (3.7%) on record in 2022.
Real earnings in NI are now £27 (4.0%) less than they were in 2021, but are £4 (0.6%) above pre-COVID levels (2019).

Figure 7: Real earnings decreased by £2 over the year

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI in nominal and real (2023) terms, April 2003 to April 2023

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

Download data:

While nominal weekly earnings in NI have generally increased each year since 2003 (with the exception of 2007, 2014 and 2020), real earnings have not. Nominal weekly earnings in 2023 (£641) were £289 more than in 2003 (£352), while real earnings have increased by £53 during the same period (from £588 to £641).

Over the year to 2023, real weekly earnings in NI decreased by around £2 (0.3%), following a £25 drop in 2022, which was the largest real earnings decrease on record (3.7%). In comparison, the UK saw an annual decrease of 1.5% in real earnings over the last year, following a decrease of 2.4% over the year to 2022.

When looking at the change over the last four years (since pre-COVID), NI real earnings have increased by 0.6% (£4) compared with a decrease of 2.3% (£16) in the UK.

Figure 8: Inflation negates the nominal increases in weekly earnings over the year

Annual change in median gross weekly earnings for employees in NI in nominal and real (2023) terms by working pattern, April 2023

Download data:

Nominal weekly earnings have increased over the year for full-time, part-time and all employees (full-time and part-time combined), however, real earnings have not.

Part-time employees saw the smallest increase in nominal earnings (3.8%), and therefore the largest decrease (3.7%) in real earnings. In contrast, full-time employees saw the largest nominal increase (7.4%) and therefore the smallest decrease in real earnings (0.3%).

When considering all employees, regardless of working pattern, nominal earnings increased by 5.9% (£30) over the year to £529. However, when adjusting for the effects of inflation, real earnings saw a decrease of 1.7% (£9).

2.2 Real earnings by gender

Key findings

Full-time males had the largest increase (10.2%) in their nominal earnings, and were the only group to see an increase (2.2%) in real terms over the year to 2023.
Part-time females had the smallest increase (3.6%) in nominal earnings and therefore the largest decrease (3.9%) in real terms over the year to 2023.

Figure 9: Real earnings only increased over the year for full-time males

Annual change in median gross weekly earnings for employees in NI in nominal and real (2023) terms by work pattern and gender, April 2023

Download data:

While increases were seen in the nominal earnings of both male and female employees when split by working pattern, only full-time males experienced an increase (2.2%) in real terms. Full-time females saw the second largest increase in nominal earnings, but the change was almost 4 percentage points (pps) below that of full-time males.

Part-time male and female employees saw the smallest increases in nominal earnings over the year, with part-time females experiencing the largest decrease (3.9%) in real earnings over the year.

2.3 Real earnings comparison between public and private sectors

Key findings

Real earnings in the public sector fell by 7.2% over the year to 2023, in contrast to an increase of 1.4% in the private sector.
There has been no growth in public sector real earnings over the last two decades.
Real earnings in the private sector have grown by 13% since 2003.

Figure 10: No growth in real earnings in the NI public sector in 20 years

Real median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in the public and private sectors in NI, April 2003 and April 2023

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

Download data:

Over the last two decades, real earnings in the public sector have been consistently higher and more changeable than those in the private sector. While both sectors have experienced increases and decreases over time, there has been a more definite upward trend in private sector real earnings, particularly over the last 10 years. Real earnings recorded for the private sector in 2023 were around £70 higher than they were in 2003, while real earnings in the public sector were £2 lower than 20 years earlier. This is the second lowest real earnings in the public sector over the last 20 years, compared with the highest real earnings in the private sector over the same period.

The drop in real earnings in the private sector during 2020 was notable, compared with a small increase in public sector real earnings. While both sectors recorded a substantial rise in 2021, real earnings in the public sector have fallen for two consecutive years, while real earnings in the private sector have increased for two consecutive years. The most recent results saw the public sector decrease by £57 (7.2%) over the year compared to an increase of £8 (1.4%) in the private sector.

2.4 Real earnings comparison across industries

Industry: Results are collated using the 2007 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC07).

Key findings

Over the year to 2023, real earnings have decreased in 10 out of 17 industries.
The largest annual increase in real earnings was recorded in the ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ industry (13%).
The largest annual decrease in real earnings was recorded in the ‘Financial & insurance activities’ industry (11%).

Figure 11: Real decreases recorded in 10 out of 17 industries

Real median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI by industry, April 2022 and April 2023

Note: non-zero axis.

Download data:

Real earnings decreased over the year in 10 of the 17 industry groups. While the largest decrease (11%) was recorded in ‘Financial and insurance activities’, there were notable decreases in the 3 main public sector industries. ‘Public administration & defence’, ‘Education’ and ‘Human health and social work’ all saw real term decreases of more than 4%.

The ‘Agriculture, forestry and fishing’ industry saw the largest growth in real earnings (13%) in 2023. This industry has seen strong growth in earnings since pre-COVID. Increases for 3 consecutive years means that real earnings are now 25% above 2019 levels.

At £452, ‘Accommodation & food service’ remains the lowest paid industry, and the only one with full-time weekly earnings below £500. Although it saw a 5.8% increase in nominal earnings over the year to 2023, once adjusted for inflation it decreased in real terms by 1.9%. Since pre-COVID, it has increased by 7.4% in real terms, which is higher than the NI average (0.6%).

2.5 Real earnings by age groups

Key findings

The 40-49 age group saw the largest decrease in real earnings over the year to 2023.
Real earnings increased over the year for 18-21 year olds and 50-59 year olds.

Figure 12: Employees aged 40-49 saw the largest decrease in real earnings over the year

Real median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in NI by age, April 2022 and April 2023

Note: non-zero axis.

Download data:

A comparison of real earnings by age shows that employees between the ages of 40 and 49 saw the largest drop in their real earnings over the year to 2023 with a decrease of £25. Whilst those in the 22-29, 30-39 and 60+ age groups also saw a fall in their real earnings, they all decreased by less than £10.

Only two age groups experienced a real increase over the year. Both the 18-21 and the 50-59 age groups saw increases of around £5 from 2022 in real terms.

3. Low and high pay analysis

At £14.48, median hourly pay for all employees (full-time and part-time combined) in NI is the third lowest of all the UK regions and is currently £1.40 below the UK median (£15.88). This has been the broad trend since 2000, with median hourly pay in NI falling consistently below the majority of the other UK regions each year.

3.1 Distribution of hourly earnings

The National Living Wage (NLW) was introduced by the Government on 1 April 2016. It is currently set at £10.42 per hour for those aged 23 and over.

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) applies for those under the age of 23. It was introduced on 1 April 1999 and currently ranges between £5.28 and £10.18 per hour. Further details and a full breakdown of rates can be found in section 5.

Key findings

The peak in earnings around the NLW has not returned to pre-COVID heights and is 4.6pps below 2018.
The proportion of jobs below the NLW has increased by 0.3pps to 1.3% in 2023.

Figure 13: The peak of the earnings distribution moves in line with the increases in the National Living Wage

Gross hourly earnings distribution for all employees in NI, April 2003 to April 2023

Note: Density shows the proportion of jobs within +/-20p of shown pay rates. Non-zero axis.

Figure 13 shows how the earnings distribution in NI has changed each year from 2003 to 2023. The shape of each chart is typical of a skewed earnings distribution with more jobs at the lower earnings end, tailing off towards higher earnings.

When tracking the change over the last 20 years, the peak of the chart, which shows the wage rate with the largest proportion of jobs, can be seen moving to the right each year in line with increases in the National Minimum/Living Wage (NLW).

Not only has the peak shifted, but the shape of the distribution has also changed over time. In 2002, 5% of jobs were within 20p of the minimum wage, compared with 11% in 2018. From 2008, the peak generally became more pronounced each year as earnings compressed around the National Minimum/Living Wage. The largest increase in compression coincided with the largest increase in minimum wage (70p) which occurred in 2016 when the National Living Wage was introduced (increasing for those aged 25+ from a National Minimum Wage of £6.50 in April 2015 to National Living Wage of £7.20 in April 2016). The proportion of jobs within 20p of the minimum wage increased from 9% in 2015 to 11% in 2016.

2019 saw a slight reversal in the trend of increased compression, with further drops in the peak around the NLW following in 2020. The proportion within 20p of the NLW reduced by almost a third over that two-year period, from 14% in 2018 to 8.7% in 2020. In 2020, a small cluster around 80% of the NLW is evident, and the same cluster is similarly visible, but to a lesser extent, in 2021. This reflects those paid at the minimum wage and furloughed at 80% of their pay during this period. Whilst this cluster is no longer visible due to the removal of furlough in 2021, the peak around the NLW wage has remained in line with the lower levels seen since 2020 (8.7%) and is 4.6pps below 2018.

Using a different derived hourly rate, which excludes overtime and shift premium payments and in line with ONS methodology, the proportion of jobs paid below the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage increased slightly to 1.3% in 2023. This remains at pre-COVID levels (1.1% in 2019), following increases in 2020 (11%) and 2021 (5.8%) when 90% of those earning less than the NLW/NMW were on furlough.

3.2 Low and High-paid jobs

The following Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) definitions of low pay and high pay are used:

Low pay is defined as the value that is two-thirds of the UK median hourly earnings (e.g. £15.88 x 2/3 = £10.59 in 2023).
High pay is defined as the value that is 1.5 times the UK median hourly earnings (e.g. £15.88 x 1.5 = £23.82 in 2023).

Key findings

The proportion of low-paid jobs has dropped by almost 2.5pps over the year to a record low of 11% in 2023.
Low-paid jobs have more than halved since the introduction of the National Living Wage in 2016 (from 26% in 2016 to 11% in 2023).
2023 saw a higher proportion of high-paid jobs than low-paid jobs for the second consecutive year.

Figure 14: Proportion of low-paid jobs was the lowest on record in 2023

Proportion of low-paid, middle-paid and high-paid employee jobs in NI, April 2003 to April 2023

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details.

Download data:

The proportion of middle-paid jobs in NI remained fairly consistent (at just over 50%) between 2003 and 2016, when the National Living Wage was introduced. Since then, middle-paid jobs have steadily increased, driven by the continuous drop in low-paid jobs. Estimates for 2023 showed that middle-paid jobs were 17pps higher than they were in 2016, whilst low-paid jobs were 15pps lower. The most recent annual change (a 2.5pps decrease) in low-paid jobs, follows the two largest decreases in 20 years (5.6pps in 2022 and 3.0pps in 2021).

The proportion of high-paid jobs has stayed more consistent over the last 20 years at around one fifth of total jobs, and recent changes have been less pronounced than those seen in low-paid jobs. 2023 saw the largest drop (2.0pps) in high-paid jobs over the last two decades taking the proportion to its lowest on record (18%), however, for the second consecutive year, there have been more high-paid jobs than low-paid jobs.

When considering the hourly earnings of all employees, the lowest earning 10% of workers (those at the 10th percentile) in the private sector (£10.42) earned the current National Living Wage rate. In contrast, those at the 10th percentile of the public sector (£11.29) earned almost the same per hour as those at the 30th percentile of the private sector (£11.37).

3.3 Low and High-paid jobs by various characteristics

Full-time employee is defined as anyone aged 16 years or over that is directly paid from a business’s payroll for carrying out more than 30 paid hours per week (or 25 or more for the teaching professions).

Part-time employee is defined as anyone aged 16 years or over working 30 or less paid hours a week (or less than 25 for the teaching professions).

Industry: Results are collated using the 2007 Standard Industrial Classification (SIC07).

Occupation: Results are collated using the 2020 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC20).

Key findings

Almost a quarter (23%) of part-time workers had low-paid jobs in 2023, compared to 6.4% of full-time workers.
Over half (55%) of all low-paid jobs were carried out by employees under the age of 30, whilst over two-thirds (68%) of all high-paid jobs were carried out by employees aged 40 and over.
The ‘Accommodation and food’ industry had the largest proportion of low-paid jobs (54%), while ‘Education’ had the largest proportion of high-paid jobs (42%).
‘Sales and customer service’ (38%) and ‘Elementary occupations’ (37%) had the highest proportion of low-paid jobs and almost no high-paid jobs.

Figure 15: Low-paid employees tend to be part-time, younger, in the hospitality industry or in sales or elementary occupations

Low-paid, middle-paid and high-paid employee jobs in NI by working pattern, age, industry and occupation, April 2023

Download data:

As previously shown in Figure 14, there are now more high-paid than low-paid jobs across all employees in NI. Figure 15 breaks this down by a number of characteristics. There is a clear indication of imbalance between those working full-time and those working part-time. There is a greater proportion of low-paid part-time jobs (23%), compared with low-paid full-time jobs (6%). By contrast, there is a lower proportion of high-paid part-time jobs (10%) compared with high-paid full-time jobs (21%).

A closer examination of the pay difference between part-time and full-time jobs shows that, not only are part-time jobs more likely in lower-paid occupation groups but, even within 8 of the 9 occupation groups, part-time workers’ hourly pay rates are, on average, lower than full-time hourly pay rates. Further information on the working pattern pay gap in NI is available in Section 4.7.

When considering the breakdown by age, those employees under 30 were the worst off with the largest proportions of low-paid jobs and smallest proportions of high-paid jobs. The 40-49 age group saw the smallest proportion of low-paid jobs, however, the 50-59 age group had the largest proportion of high-paid jobs.

Employee jobs in both ‘Sales and customer service’ (38%) and ‘Elementary occupations’ (37%) were most likely to be low-paid, with negligible numbers of jobs reported as high-paid. These two occupational groups made up 53% of all low-paid jobs in NI in 2023.

In contrast, around half of both ‘Managers, directors and senior officials’ (54%) and ‘Professional occupations’ (45%) were high-paid, with below 2% low-paid within each sector. These two sectors combined accounted for 86% of all high-paid jobs in NI.

More than half of the jobs in the ’Accommodation and food’ industry (54%) were low-paid, whilst less than 1.5% of jobs in ‘Public administration’ were low-paid. ‘Education’ had the highest proportion of high-paid jobs in 2023 (42%), followed closely by the ‘Information and communication’ industry (37%).

3.4 Low and High-paid jobs by UK Government Region

Key findings

In 2023, NI had the joint highest proportion of low-paid jobs in the UK.
The NI ratio of low-paid to high-paid jobs was below the UK ratio.
There were 61% more high-paid than low-paid jobs in NI in 2023.

Figure 16: NI had the third lowest ratio of high-paid to low-paid employee jobs across the UK regions

Ratio of high-paid to low-paid employee jobs by UK Government region, April 2023

Note: a ratio higher than 1 means there are more high-paid jobs and a ratio less than 1 means there are more low-paid jobs

Download data:

Although the proportion of low-paid jobs has decreased over the year in NI (to 11%), it now has the joint highest proportion of low-paid jobs of all the UK regions, along with East Midlands. London (5.1%) has the lowest proportion of low-paid jobs.

Analysis of ratios of high-paid to low-paid employee jobs in the different regions of the UK (Figure 16) shows that NI had the third lowest ratio of the 12 regions. NI had a ratio of approximately 1.6, meaning that the proportion of high-paid jobs was about 60% higher than the proportion of low-paid jobs. In all regions of the UK, high-paid jobs exceeded low-paid jobs. London had the highest ratio, with nearly 8 times more high-paid than low-paid jobs, followed by the Scotland and South East (both 3.3). These three regions were all above the UK average of 2.6.

4. Gender pay gap

Various methods can be used to measure the earnings of females relative to males. This section of the report leads with the Gender Pay Gap for all employees regardless of working pattern before disaggregating by sector, age of employee, size of business, occupation and working pattern.

The majority of the analysis is based on the median hourly earnings excluding overtime; including overtime can distort the picture as males work relatively more overtime than females, and using hourly earnings better accounts for the fact that males work, on average, more hours per week than females (see Figure 24).

It should be noted that, although median hourly pay excluding overtime provides a useful comparison of male and female earnings, it is a measure across all jobs and not a measure of the difference in pay between men and women doing the same job.

Gross hourly earnings (excluding overtime) includes basic pay, commissions, shift premium pay, bonus or incentive pay and allowances, and is before deductions for PAYE, National Insurance, pension schemes, student loan repayments and voluntary deductions.

Gender pay gap is calculated as the difference between the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of males and females, as a proportion of the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of males.

4.1 Gender Pay Gap in NI and the UK

Key findings

In 2023, considering all employees regardless of working pattern, females earned 7.8% less than males in NI i.e. for every £1 earned by men, women earned 92p.
Following the trend since 2020, in 2023 in the UK, females earned 14% less than males when all employees are considered.
The gender pay gap in NI is due to the higher proportion of part-time female employees than part-time male employees and the higher proportion of part-time jobs that are low-paid.

Figure 17: Gender pay gap for all employees has decreased over the last twenty years in both NI and the UK

Gender pay gap for all employees in NI and the UK, April 2003 to April 2023

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details.

Download data:

The gender pay gaps for all employees (regardless of working pattern) in both NI and the UK have consistently been in favour of males, however, the difference in male and female earnings in both regions has narrowed over the last two decades.

The results from the 2023 ASHE indicate that the gender pay gap for all employees in NI is 7.8% in favour of males, who earn £1.17 more per hour on average than females (£14.92 compared to £13.75 for females). Although this is slightly wider than the 7.5% gender pay gap recorded in 2022 and much higher than the 5.9% and 4.7% recorded in 2020 and 2021 respectively, it is still below all the rates prior to 2020. The lower gaps in 2020 and 2021 are a likely result of furlough, whilst the increases over the last two years coincide with increases in private sector earnings, where there is a larger proportion of male employees.

In the UK, males (£17.05) also earned more on average than females (£14.62) in 2023. This equates to a UK gender pay gap of 14% in favour of males, more in line with the gap recorded in NI 20 years ago. In contrast to NI, which has shown variation in the gender pay gap over the last three years, the gap for the UK has remained fairly consistent (between 14% and 15%).

It is the relatively lower pay of the private sector in NI and the notably smaller gender pay gap in the NI public sector (compared to those in NI and UK private sector, and UK public sector) that drives the difference between the NI and UK gender pay gap.

4.2 Gender Pay Gap in the public and private sectors

Key findings

In 2023, considering all employees regardless of working pattern, females earned over £1 less than males in the public sector.
In the private sector females earned over £2 less than males when all employees were considered.
The gender pay gap in the private sector has been around £2 for the past 20 years, whilst the gap has closed from over £3 to around £1 in the public sector.

Figure 18: Males have higher earnings in both the public and private sectors

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for all employees in NI by sector and gender, April 2003 to April 2023

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details.

Download data:

Overall, public sector employees earned more on average than private sector employees. Within this, males earned more on average in both the public and private sectors than females. This has been the broad trend since 2003; however, there has been a notable closing of the gap between males and females in the public sector, whilst male earnings have remained consistently higher than female earnings in the private sector.

In 2003, male earnings in the public sector were £3.36 per hour more than female earnings. This gap has now reduced to £1.13. Although this is a substantial drop in the difference between male and female earnings, it is more than twice the gap recorded last year (44p) and is the largest gap since 2018. In comparison, in the private sector, where average earnings are lower than in the public sector, males have consistently earned around £2 per hour more than females since 2003.

4.3 Gender Pay Gap by age

Key findings

The gender pay gap is most pronounced for those aged 40 and over.
The 60+ age group had the largest gender pay gap in favour of males (15%).
18-21 is the only age group where females earned slightly more than males (0.4%).

Figure 19: Largest gender pay gaps are in the 40+ age groups

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for all employees in NI by age and gender, April 2023

Download data:

In 2023, the only age group where females earned more than males on average was 18-21, with a difference of 4p (£10.60 compared to £10.56). For the age groups under 40, median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) for males and females were very similar. Female earnings peaked at £15.85 in the 30-39 age group, then tapered off, while male earnings continued to grow into the 40-49 age group, where they peaked at £17.53. Although male earnings then started to taper off, they did so at a slower rate, thus widening the gender pay gap in the older age groups. The largest gap (15%) was recorded for those aged 60+ where females earned £12.26 per hour, which was over £2 per hour less than males in the same age group (£14.41).

4.4 Gender Pay Gap by size of business

Key findings

Males consistently earned more than females across all business size groups.
The smallest gender pay gap was recorded in businesses with between 1 and 9 employees (5.7% in favour or males).
The gender pay gap was largest in businesses with between 50 and 249 employees (15.1% in favour of males).

Figure 20: Males earn more than females in all business size groups in NI

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for all employees in NI by size of business and gender, April 2023

Download data:

Latest estimates show that, on average, males consistently earned more than females across all business size groups in NI. The smallest gender pay gap in 2023 was recorded for those employed in businesses with 1 to 9 employees. Females (£11.97) earned 72p less per hour than males (£12.69) on average, which is a 5.7% gender pay gap. In contrast, the gender pay gap was largest in businesses with between 50 and 249 employees, where females earned 15% less than males on average, meaning for every £1 earned by a man, a woman earned 85p.

4.5 Gender Pay Gap by occupation group

Occupation: Results are collated using the 2020 Standard Occupation Classification (SOC20).

Key findings

Males earned more than females in eight of the nine occupational groups in 2023.
Females earned more than males in ‘Administrative and secretarial occupations’ but the difference was minimal (7p).
‘Skilled trades occupations’ had the largest gender pay gap of 14% in favour of males.

Figure 21: Females earned less, on average, than males in eight of the nine occupation groups

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for all employees in NI by occupation and gender, April 2023

Note: non-zero axis.

Download data:

The gender pay gap is in favour of males when considering all employees. Disaggregating the data into occupation groups shows that this holds in eight out of nine occupation groups. The occupation group in which females earned more on average in 2023 was ‘Administrative and secretarial occupations’ and there was only a small difference of 7p per hour. The majority of those employed in ‘Administrative and secretarial occupations’ were females (73%).

The largest difference between male and female average pay in 2023 was in the ‘Skilled trades’ group, where, on average, for every pound earned by males, females earned 86p (£13.92 compared to £12.03 per hour). Almost 90% of employees within this occupation group were male.

The second largest difference between male and female average pay in 2023 was in the ‘Process, plant and machine operatives’ group, where, on average, for every pound earned by males, females earned 88p (£12.83 compared to £11.25 per hour). Again, around 90% of employees within this occupation group were male.

4.6 Gender Pay Gap by working pattern

Key findings

In 2023, full-time and part-time earnings were higher for females than males.
When full-time and part-time are combined males earned more than females.
This is due to the larger proportion of males working full-time (85%) than females (60%).

Figure 22: Full-time and part-time females earned more than full-time and part-time males

Median gross hourly earnings excluding overtime for employees in NI by working pattern and gender, April 2023

Download data:

When hourly earnings for males and females are disaggregated by working pattern, it shows that part-time earnings for females (£11.70) were higher than part-time earnings for males (£11.50), and full-time earnings for females (£16.40) were higher than full-time earnings for males (£15.84). This is in contrast to earnings for all employees (full and part-time combined), where hourly earnings for males (£14.92), were £1.17 higher than for females (£13.75). NI remains the only region in the UK where full-time females earn more per hour on average than full-time males.

These higher earnings for ‘all’ males are primarily due to a larger proportion of males (85% compared with 60% of females) in full-time work, which has higher hourly rates of pay on average than part-time employment (see Figure 22) and proportionately fewer low-paid jobs (see Figure 15). The difference in full-time and part-time earnings is discussed further in the next sub-section.

The higher earnings for ‘all’ males, despite the reverse for each separate working pattern, is an example of Simpson’s paradox and is illustrated in the Gender Pay Gap explanation on the NISRA website.

4.7 Working pattern pay gap

Working pattern pay gap is calculated as the difference between the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of full-time and part-time employees, as a proportion of the median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) of full-time employees.

Key findings

The working pattern pay gap in 2023 was 26.9% in favour of full-time workers.
The UK working pattern pay gap has been consistently higher than NI and was 30.6% in 2023.

Figure 23: The working pattern pay gap is generally lower in NI than in the UK

Working pattern pay gap for all employees in NI and the UK, April 2003 to April 2023

Chart

Note: there were a number of methodological changes during the series in 2004, 2006, 2011 and 2021. See the Further Information section for full details. Non-zero axis.

Download data:

When considering the difference between hourly pay (excluding overtime) of full-time and part-time employees over the last 20 years, full-time employees have earned between 23% (in 2008) and 33% (in 2015) more than part-time employees. The working pattern pay gap in 2023 was 27%, 5pps lower than it was in 2003 and almost 4pps below the 2023 UK rate. Whilst the NI series has been more volatile than the UK equivalent, the past 10 years have seen more correlation between the two series, as well as a narrowing of the gap.

4.8 Hours worked by working pattern and gender

Total paid hours worked is made up of paid basic hours and paid overtime hours. It is calculated using employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence.

Key findings

In 2023, full-time males worked more hours than full-time females.
Part-time females worked more hours than part-time males.
Males worked more hours than females overall.

Figure 24: Males worked longer hours overall, but females worked longer part-time hours

Mean weekly paid hours worked by employees in NI by working pattern and gender, April 2023

Download data:

The gender pay gap reverses for full-time employees when calculated on annual pay (in favour of men, whereas it is in favour of women when calculated on hourly pay). The difference between the annual and hourly earnings pay gap measure can be attributed to males working more hours on average and receiving higher bonuses than females.

In 2023, males in full-time employment worked 2.4 more paid hours per week than females (40.1 hours compared with 37.7 hours), whilst for those in part-time employment, males worked 1.8 hours less than females (17.0 hours compared with 18.8 hours).

Overall, males (36.3 hours) worked 6.4 hours more than females (29.9 hours), and a greater proportion of males (85%) worked full-time compared with females (60%).

5. Further information

ASHE data
The headline tables and detailed outputs from the 2023 Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings can be found on the NISRA website. Previous publications and historical data can also be found online.

Alternative sources of employee earnings information - HMRC PAYE
Monthly experimental statistics on payrolled employees and their earnings from HM Revenue and Customs’ (HMRC) Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Real Time Information (RTI) system are available on the NISRA and ONS websites. HMRC PAYE RTI is the system employers use to take Income Tax and National Insurance contributions before they pay wages to employees. Data relate to employees paid by employers only, and do not include self-employment income or income from pensions, property rental or investments. Data are based on where employees live and not the location of their place of work within the UK. Data are seasonally adjusted but not adjusted for inflation. The HMRC PAYE covers the whole population rather than a sample of employees or companies. The data are classed as Experimental Statistics as the methodologies used to produce the statistics are still in their development phase. As a result, the series are subject to revisions.

Estimates from ASHE remain the principal source of employee earnings information and are National Statistics. While estimates from PAYE provide a timelier indication of employee earnings trends, they are still in the development stage and are classed as Experimental Statistics.

PAYE does not differentiate based on full-time or part-time job status, and includes those whose work was affected by absence. It also measures pay per person, which can include pay from more than one job, while ASHE measures pay per job.

The most comparable statistic to median earnings from PAYE is ASHE data on median gross weekly earnings of all employees surveyed, including those who work part-time. A comparison of ASHE and PAYE data based on April data in both sources shows that PAYE is typically lower, though both show the same trend. The most likely reason for this is that ASHE excludes workers whose pay is affected by absence and those not on adult rates of pay, while PAYE includes these. Further details have been published by HMRC and ONS.

Methodology
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) is a UK wide survey that provides a wide range of information on earnings and hours worked. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) carries out ASHE in Great Britain and it is carried out by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) in NI.

The survey information related to the pay-week (or other pay period if the employee was paid less frequently) which included 19th April 2023, the reference date for the latest survey. The results, therefore, are not necessarily representative of pay over a longer period. They do not take account of subsequent changes in rates of pay which have become effective since April or changes which have been introduced with retrospective effect since the survey returns were completed.

The survey reference date (19th April 2023) was outside the time period for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) grant, therefore 2023 earnings were not affected by furlough. Over the pandemic period, earnings estimates were affected by changes in the composition of the workforce and the impact of the CJRS, making interpretation difficult. In particular, the 2020 and 2021 data are subject to more uncertainty and should be treated with caution. Furthermore, 2022 annual earnings, which relate to the 2021/22 financial year, were affected during the first six months of the year. Therefore, over these periods users are encouraged to focus on long-term trends rather than year on year changes.

Coverage and sampling
As in previous years, the sample used for the survey comprised approximately 1% of all employees in NI who were covered by PAYE schemes. Someone who is in more than one PAYE scheme may appear more than once. Information on earnings and hours is obtained in confidence from employers under the authority of The Statistics of Trade and Employment (Northern Ireland) Order 1988. Information collected is treated as strictly confidential and is used only for statistical purposes. The resulting analyses do not show information about identifiable people or private businesses.

The ASHE estimates are based on a sample and are therefore subject to an associated level of variability. The coefficient of variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate. The CV is the ratio of the standard error of an estimate to the estimate, expressed as a percentage. The smaller the CV, the higher the quality of the estimate. The CVs are published alongside the estimates, and CVs for the key ASHE estimates are shown in Table 1 below.

Table 1: Coefficient of variation (%) for key NI ASHE estimates, 2023

Pay Variable	Gender	Full-time	Part-time
Median gross weekly earnings	Males	1.9	6.4
	Females	1.9	2.4
	All	1.5	2.2
Median gross hourly earnings (excluding overtime)	Males	1.8	1.8
	Females	2.4	0.5
	All	1.7	0.6

Weighting
ASHE data are weighted to UK population totals from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) based on classes defined by region, occupation, age and sex. LFS data for 2021 and 2022 have been impacted by an issue with the occupation coding using SOC20, as set out in the latest update. Given the use of the 1-digit occupation in the weighting process, the ASHE estimates will be subject to further review, but the impact is likely to be minimal based on the initial analysis.

Rounding and revisions
Throughout this report, numbers less than 100 are rounded to two significant figures.

In line with normal practice, this release contains revised estimates from the 2022 survey results published on 26th October 2022. These results take account of some corrections to the original 2022 data that were identified during the validation of the results for 2023, as well as late returns. The 2023 results presented in this report are provisional and will be revised alongside next year’s results.

Methodology Changes 2004 to date
The ASHE bulletin presents the most recent data in the context of a 20-year time trend. As such, it is worth noting a number of methodological changes that have taken place since the survey was introduced, in particular in 2004, 2007 and 2012. For 2004 and 2006, two sets of results are available based on the existing and updated methodologies at the time. Users should note that data used in the report relate to the updated methodology and superseded data has not been included in the time series charts.

The impact of the changes increases as the size of the group being considered decreases. For example, conclusions can be drawn when considering broad time trends over the 20-year period, but caution should be taken when comparing across occupations and industries.

Table 2: Methodology changes to the ASHE Survey

Year	Change	Impact
2022	Change in occupation coding from SOC2010 to SOC 2020	Occupations are used to weight ASHE results. Estimates before 2021 not directly comparable with later estimates.
2013	Change in sample frame from PAYE to RTI PAYE	Small impact on coverage
2012	Change in occupation coding from SOC2000 to SOC 2010	Occupations are used to weight ASHE results. Estimates before 2011 not directly comparable with later estimates.
2009	Change in industry classification from SIC 2003 to SIC 2007	Industries not directly comparable.
2007	Sample design improvements	Results between 2004-2007 not directly comparable
2004	ASHE replaced the New Earnings Survey	Coverage improved

Mean, Median and Percentiles
The mean and the median measure different things and either can be appropriate depending on what the user is trying to measure. The mean measures the average amount earned by individuals, but in a skewed distribution such as earnings this measure is susceptible to small numbers of very high earners. The median measures the amount earned by the average individual, i.e. the level of earnings at which half the population are above and half the population are below. A visual explanation of this is available on the NISRA website. Please note that changes in median values for sub-sectors of the population are not necessarily additive at the population level.

A percentile is a statistical measure which shows the value below which a given percentage of observations fall, i.e. the 10th percentile is the value below which the lowest earning 10% of employees fall, and the 50th percentile (median) is the value below which 50% of employees fall.

National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW)
The NLW rate that applied in April 2023 was £10.42 per hour for employees aged 23 and over. The NMW rates that applied in April 2023 were: £10.18 per hour for employees aged 21 and 22, £7.49 for employees aged 18 to 20 and £5.28 for employees aged under 18 and apprentices. The following table provides a breakdown of NLWs and NMWs since April 2008.

Table 3: National Living Wage, 2016 to 2019 and National Minimum Wage, 2010 to 2023

Year	23+	21-22	18-20	Under 18	Apprentice
2023	£10.42	£10.18	£7.49	£5.28	£5.28
2022	£9.50	£9.18	£6.83	£4.81	£4.81
2021	£8.91	£8.36	£6.56	£4.62	£4.30
	25+	21 to 24	18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice
2020	£8.72	£8.20	£6.45	£4.55	£4.15
2019	£8.21	£7.70	£6.15	£4.35	£3.90
2018	£7.83	£7.38	£5.90	£4.20	£3.70
2017	£7.50	£7.05	£5.60	£4.05	£3.50
2016 (Oct 16 to Mar 17)	£7.20	£6.95	£5.55	£4.00	£3.40
2016 (Apr 16 to Sep 17)*	£7.20	£6.70	£5.30	£3.87	£3.30
		21+	18 to 20	Under 18	Apprentice
2015		£6.70	£5.30	£3.87	£3.30
2014		£6.50	£5.13	£3.79	£2.73
2013		£6.31	£5.03	£3.72	£2.68
2012		£6.19	£4.98	£3.68	£2.65
2011		£6.08	£4.98	£3.68	£2.60
2010		£5.93	£4.92	£3.64	£2.50
		22+	18 to 21	Under 18
2009		£5.80	£4.83	£3.57
2008		£5.73	£4.77	£3.53

*Introduction of National Living Wage for 25 and over

More information on the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates can be found on the Gov.uk website.

Simpson’s Paradox
A trend that appears in groups of data but not when the groups are combined is referred to as Simpson’s Paradox. In particular this phenomenon is apparent when NI earnings data are split by gender and other characteristics. For example, gender and working pattern, and gender and occupation. The following slideshow explains the occurrence within the NI earnings data and an ONS blog describes it here: Decoding the gender pay gap.

National Statistics status means that official statistics meet the highest standards of trustworthiness, quality and public value, and it is our responsibility to maintain compliance with these standards.

These statistics were designated as National Statistics in September 2011 following a full assessment against the Code of Practice.

Since the assessment by the UK Statistics Authority, we have continued to comply with the Code of Practice for Statistics, and have made the following improvements:

Redesigned the ASHE Bulletin, publishing in HTML, improving the commentary, analysis and presentation, and providing more context.
Removed pre-release access to enhance trustworthiness.
Produced a Background Quality Report, assessing the quality of ASHE and its outputs.
Reduced respondent burden by providing the option to respond electronically to the survey and introducing a new online webform for ease of completion.