Scottish cities 'dominate' list of slowest wage growth areas in the UK

The UK areas with the slowest wage growth have been revealed in a new list topped by Aberdeen and seven other cities in Scotland.

The cost of living crisis is squeezing households and one major factor is wages not increasing at the same rate as inflation and living costs.

New analysis found that Scottish cities accounted for over half of the UK's top 15 areas with the slowest wage growth.

Compared to the average UK wage increase of about 28 percent, Aberdeen's rate was found to be the smallest at just over five percent.

Scotland accounts for half of the top areas with slowest wage growth, including: Shetland, Na h-Eileanan Siar, Clackmannanshire and Fife, Caithness, Angus and Dundee, Orkney, and Inverness.

On the other hand, the highest wage growth was in London's Hackney and Newham where wages increased by 51 percent.

No areas in Scotland made the list of places with the biggest wage growth.

The UK's top 15 areas with the smallest wage growth

Many of Scotland's northern areas and islands made the list, in which the company Digital ID analysed Office of National Statistics (ONS) data between 2014 and 2021.

The report notes that Scotland "dominated" the smallest wage growth list.

A Digital ID spokesperson commented on the findings: "The UK is facing a serious cost-of-living crisis, from soaring inflation to unmanageable energy bills, and this data reveals just how hard it is for many areas of the country to swallow the costs.

"The stagnant wages in areas such as Aberdeen, South Teesside, Durham and Derby show just how much the decision to increase National Insurance by 1.25 percentage points in April – which actually translates to an average 10 percent increase in National Insurance – will affect workers who are just trying to provide for their families."

Areas listed followed by wage increase percentage

1. Aberdeen - 5.22%
2. Shetland Islands - 9.56%
3. Na h-Eileanan Siar - 14.54%
4. South Teeside - 17.45%
5. Clackmannanshire and Fife - 18.71%
6. Caithness and Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty - 18.91%
7. Mid and East Antrim - 19.29%
8. Angus and Dundee City - 19.4%
9. Orkney Islands - 19.6%
10. Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees - 20%
    
11. Inverness and Nairn and Moray, Badenoch and Strathspey - 20.77%
12. Durham CC - 20.9%
13. Derby - 20.97%
14. Sunderland - 21.09%
15. Bradford - 21.29%

The UK's top 15 areas with the smallest wage growth

Many London areas made the list of places with the top wage growth (Getty Images)

Areas listed followed by wage increase percentage

1. Hackney and Newham - 51.03%

2. Haringey and Islington - 48.37%

3. Lewisham and Southwark - 46.92%

4. Camden and City of London - 45.29

5. Wandsworth - 42.4%

6. Lambeth - 41.31%

7. Barnet - 40.56%

8. Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham - 40.26%

9. Westminster - 38.02%

10. Bexley and Greenwich - 37.81%

11. Brent - 37.74%

12. Redbridge and Waltham Forest - 37.24%

13. Bromley - 36.45%

14. Tower Hamlets - 33.88%

15. Cambridgeshire CC - 32.94%