Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings: 2019

The survey provides information about the levels, distribution and make-up of earnings and hours worked for employees in all industries and occupations.

Full-time weekly earnings

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time adults working in Wales were £535.0 in April 2019. This was 91.5% of the average for the UK (£584.9). Median gross weekly earnings in Wales were the third lowest amongst the 12 UK countries and English regions.

Median gross weekly earnings for full-time adults working in Wales increased by 5.1% between 2018 and 2019, compared to a 2.9% increase across the UK. Wales had the joint highest percentage increase amongst the 12 UK countries and English regions.

Hourly earnings by gender

Median full-time hourly earnings (excluding overtime) for women in Wales in April 2019 were 93.7% of the average for men. This percentage was above that for the UK as a whole (91.1%) and was the second largest amongst the UK countries and English regions. In Northern Ireland, median hourly full-time earnings for females were higher than those for males.

Median part-time hourly earnings (excluding overtime) for women in Wales in April 2019 were 101.4% of the average for men. This percentage was lower than that for the UK as a whole (103.1%) and was the joint seventh largest amongst the 12 UK countries and English regions.

Gender pay gap

The gender pay gap on a median hourly full-time basis (excluding overtime) in April 2019 was 6.4% in Wales and 8.9% in the UK. In Wales the gap has narrowed by 0.9 percentage points and in the UK it has widened by 0.3 percentage points.

For part time employees women earn more than men, resulting in a negative pay gap. The gender pay gap on a median hourly part-time basis (excluding overtime) in April 2019 stood at -1.3% in Wales and -3.1% in the UK. In Wales the gap has narrowed by 2.9 percentage points and in the UK it narrowed by 1.8 percentage points. The part time pay gap below the UK level can be volatile.

The gender pay gap on a medium hourly basis for all employee jobs (excluding overtime) was 14.5% in Wales and 17.3% in the UK for April 2019. In Wales the gap has widened by 0.8 percentage points and in the UK it has narrowed by 0.5 percentage points.

Residence based earnings

Median full-time weekly earnings for those living in Wales increased by 4.3% (to £540.7) over the year. The level in 2019 was 92.4% of the UK average.