Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 UK wages decline among worst in Europe One think tank said this year that the drop in wages was "unprecedented" Wages in the UK have seen one of the largest falls in the European Union during the economic downturn, according to official figures. The figures, which were requested by the Labour Party and collated by the House of Commons library, show average hourly wages have fallen 5.5% since mid-2010, adjusted for inflation. That is the fourth-worst decline among the 27 EU nations . By contrast, German hourly wages rose by 2.7% over the same period. Across the European Union as a whole, average wages fell 0.7%. Only Greek, Portuguese and Dutch workers have had a steeper decline in hourly wages, the figures showed. Other countries that have suffered during the eurozone debt crisis also fared better than the UK. Spain had a 3.3% drop over the same period and salaries in Cyprus fell by 3%. French workers saw a 0.4% increase, while the 18 countries in the eurozone saw a 0.1% drop during that period. 'Worse off' "These figures show the full scale of David Cameron's cost of living crisis," said shadow Treasury minister Cathy Jamieson. These figures, requested by the Labour Party and collated by the apolitical House of Commons library, merely put into firm numbers what we've all sensed for three years or more. The money left over at the end of each month is getting less and less because our salaries have been flatlining while shopping, petrol and energy bills have been rising steadily. Politically, this is fertile ground. Ed Miliband talks of a squeezed middle and feeling poorer while the government talks of a nascent recovery that will eventually raise living standards across the board while putting pressure on benefit dependants. "Working people are not only worse off under the Tories, we're also doing much worse than almost all other EU countries. "Despite out-of-touch claims by ministers, life is getting harder for ordinary families as prices continue rising faster than wages." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 Looks like the Labour Party have woken up, I thought they were thinking they had won the next election already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simmo Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 wow a well written piece hoff! you should be a journalist!:wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 It doesn't paint a picture of Britains Booming to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cki2011 Posted August 11, 2013 Share Posted August 11, 2013 My mate has an estate agency which has got very busy recently on the sales & mortgage side.... we were looking around furniture shops last weekend and it was very busy.... we were in PC world & currys today and it was packed.... We have always been busy at work throughout the down turn (building & plumbing) as we have a very good reputation and work on referrals from customers. But it has gone busier lately.... i would say it seams like it is picking up or maybe because the interest rate is crap on savings people are now spending their money as confidence grows.... either way it is a good sign.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRK AND CO Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 My mate has an estate agency which has got very busy recently on the sales & mortgage side....we were looking around furniture shops last weekend and it was very busy.... we were in PC world & currys today and it was packed.... We have always been busy at work throughout the down turn (building & plumbing) as we have a very good reputation and work on referrals from customers. But it has gone busier lately.... i would say it seams like it is picking up or maybe because the interest rate is crap on savings people are now spending their money as confidence grows.... either way it is a good sign.... I have never stopped dancing yet cannot top the uk at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ptp113 Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Poms are easily pleased. Those who escaped know better Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I have never stopped dancing yet cannot top the uk at the moment. Top the UK for what Kirk, are you in the house repossessions business? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRK AND CO Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 Top the UK for what Kirk, are you in the house repossessions business?bit late for that good idea a year ago missed the boat there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W8ENN Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I'm trying to sell my house in the UK at the moment. It's on the market at £60k less than I paid for it 6 years ago. In the last 2 months not 1 enquiry. One of my neighbours took an £80k drop to get out and it took him 2 years to sell. I wouldn't even plan a visit to the place, I'm just glad to see the back of it. To all the people who will now tell me different, enjoy your lovely lives in your picturesque village living in a beautiful castle on a hill. Unfortunately life wasn't like that for me and the majority of the UK. I consider myself very lucky to have got my kids out of there. Growing up in the UK in the 70's was fantastic but it will never be like that again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cracked Actor Posted August 12, 2013 Share Posted August 12, 2013 I'm trying to sell my house in the UK at the moment. It's on the market at £60k less than I paid for it 6 years ago. In the last 2 months not 1 enquiry. One of my neighbours took an £80k drop to get out and it took him 2 years to sell. I wouldn't even plan a visit to the place, I'm just glad to see the back of it. To all the people who will now tell me different, enjoy your lovely lives in your picturesque village living in a beautiful castle on a hill. Unfortunately life wasn't like that for me and the majority of the UK. I consider myself very lucky to have got my kids out of there. Growing up in the UK in the 70's was fantastic but it will never be like that again. It was a wonderful time in the 70's in the UK wasn't it? The three day week, power cuts, rubbish piled high because of strikes. The army having to step in with the Green Goddess, those were the days. By the way, I wouldn't think many people would claim to be living in a picturesque village in a castle on an hill. They might say they can visit a nearby picturesque village that has a castle on an hill. [h=1][/h] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KIRK AND CO Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 I'm trying to sell my house in the UK at the moment. It's on the market at £60k less than I paid for it 6 years ago. In the last 2 months not 1 enquiry. One of my neighbours took an £80k drop to get out and it took him 2 years to sell. I wouldn't even plan a visit to the place, I'm just glad to see the back of it. To all the people who will now tell me different, enjoy your lovely lives in your picturesque village living in a beautiful castle on a hill. Unfortunately life wasn't like that for me and the majority of the UK. I consider myself very lucky to have got my kids out of there. Growing up in the UK in the 70's was fantastic but it will never be like that again.Your the unlucky percentage who brought at the high point the only way you will show profit is when the houses go through the 2007 bubble and even i cannot see that happening for a long long time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kungfustu Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 I'm trying to sell my house in the UK at the moment. It's on the market at £60k less than I paid for it 6 years ago. In the last 2 months not 1 enquiry. One of my neighbours took an £80k drop to get out and it took him 2 years to sell. I wouldn't even plan a visit to the place, I'm just glad to see the back of it. To all the people who will now tell me different, enjoy your lovely lives in your picturesque village living in a beautiful castle on a hill. Unfortunately life wasn't like that for me and the majority of the UK. I consider myself very lucky to have got my kids out of there. Growing up in the UK in the 70's was fantastic but it will never be like that again. Where abouts in the small print does it say when you buy a house you are guaranteed to make a handsome profit? I am loving my life in our picturesque village living in my castle on the hill.....no desire to sell or even move....life is littered with fishing in the moat, walks along the river, country strolls, pub lunches and garden parties with lashings of vol au vents......LMFAO.....lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
W8ENN Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 Kirk, the government will never allow another housing boom like we've seen in the past. Banks lending money hand over fist to people who couldn't afford to pay was not good for them. Mmmm vol au vents!! I wonder if they do kangaroo ones down here :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Ropey HOFF Posted August 13, 2013 Share Posted August 13, 2013 Kirk, the government will never allow another housing boom like we've seen in the past. Banks lending money hand over fist to people who couldn't afford to pay was not good for them. Mmmm vol au vents!! I wonder if they do kangaroo ones down here :-) I don't think it's possible for there to be a housing boom for a long time now, people will only get big mortgages to buy inflated house prices, if they have good wages and over the last 5 years wages in the UK have gone down, not up. There might be a mini surge in house prices, but it will only be returning to where it was several years ago if we are lucky and instead of being £50,000 below what my house was worth, this figure will hopefully be reduced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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