The average full-time employee earned 62% more than in 1986 after taking into account price rises using the Consumer Prices Index, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

Pay of the highest paid employees more than doubled in real terms since 1986, while the lowest paid full-time employees had a higher than average real wage increase at 70%.

Since the economic downturn in 2008 wages have not kept up with price rises. Wage inequality (ratio of highest to lowest earners) increased between 1986 and 1998 but fell after the introduction of the National Minimum Wage
London has the largest wage inequality across the regions.

Aircraft pilots and engineers was the highest paid occupation while waiters/waitresses and bar staff earned the least.

In April 2011 the average full-time employee in the UK earned around £12.62 per hour excluding overtime, an increase of 226% since 1986 when the average wage was £3.87 per hour.

Prices have risen over the same period, and £1 in 1986 was worth around £2.01 in 2011 using the Consumer Prices Index. Adjusting for these price increases to give an estimate of real earnings growth, full-time employees were on average 62% better off in 2011 than in 1986.