Coronavirus: Economic impact
The pandemic has led to a severe recession. This briefing examines different aspects of the economic impact of the crisis to date and outlines the key issues for the economic outlook.

Average Earnings: Regularly updated data on average weekly earnings, including breakdowns by public and private sectors.
Average Earnings: Key Economic Indicators (82 KB, PDF)
This document focuses on standard official sources. For more timely data on the labour market see Library paper Coronavirus: Impact on the labour market.
In April 2020 median gross weekly earnings for full-time employees in the UK were £586, around the same as in April 2019. Adjusted for inflation, median earnings for full-time employees decreased by 0.8%.
Timelier but less detailed data show average weekly earnings for all employees in Great Britain increased by 4.1% excluding bonuses in the three months to December 2020 compared with the previous year. Average weekly pay including bonuses increased by 4.7%.
Inflation as measured by the CPI averaged 0.6% over the same period. After adjusting for inflation, average weekly earnings excluding bonuses were 3.5% higher than the previous year and average pay including bonuses were 4.1% higher.
Trends by Sector
Average weekly total pay (including bonuses) rose by 4.6% in the private sector and grew by 4.3% in the public sector in the three months to December 2020 compared with the year before.
Pay Levels
Median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) were £15.07 for full-time employees at April 2020: £15.53 for men working full-time and £14.37 for women.
Median hourly earnings (excluding overtime) were £10.39 for part-time employees; £10.16 for men and £10.46 for women. Women are more likely than men to work part-time.
The median is the point at which half earn more and half earn less.
Average Earnings: Key Economic Indicators (82 KB, PDF)
The pandemic has led to a severe recession. This briefing examines different aspects of the economic impact of the crisis to date and outlines the key issues for the economic outlook.
Spring Budget 2021 which will take place on 3 March 2021. The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) will publish revised forecasts for the economy and public finances on the same day.
This paper tracks the evolving impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the labour market.