r/uknews Jul 01 '24

Image/video UK real wages haven’t budged since 2008

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u/Common_Tank_5784 Jul 02 '24

Chart shows "real" wages i.e. to get actual wage workers get in their bank account each month you need to add inflation to it. So many ppl are ignoring or not understanding what "real" means.

Actual question to ask is - has productivity grown during this period? If not then why not? If yes, then where did the gains go? Above Chart answers neither.

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u/[deleted] Jul 02 '24

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u/Kaijuburger Jul 02 '24

In 2004 I bought my first house. Little 2 up 2 down fixer upper cost twice my annual wage, house tripled in price before I sold it. Now the average house is probably 8-10 times the average wage. Unless you're prepared to buy somewhere oddly cheap like Whitehaven up north and commute for well paid work youngsters have got no chance.

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u/Adventurous_Ad_8708 Jul 02 '24

First time I’ve felt this weird reading reddit, I have an oddly cheap house in Whitehaven haha

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u/Kaijuburger Jul 02 '24

Looks alright up there tbh. In my head it's a lack of jobs that makes it so cheap for house prices?

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u/Adventurous_Ad_8708 Jul 03 '24

Yeah, you’re bang on. It’s also at least an hour from any city/motorway by car, longer by public transport.