One in five workers haven't had a pay rise since start of cost of living crisis

Half of respondents in a survey said bringing costs down should be a top priority for the next government

Almost one in five workers report no pay rise since the cost of living crisis begun in 2021, according to new research.

Indeed, the jobs site, found more than two in five respondents admitted they were having difficulties meeting ends in their survey of 2,000 individuals. Half of the participants highlighted that reducing costs should be a high concern for any forthcoming government, while two-fifths mentioned that aligning wages with living expenses should be a primary goal for the elected party.

One fifth of those surveyed indicated their income remained static since the onset of the cost of living crisis in 2021, with nearly one in seven reporting pay cuts. Those fortunate enough to receive wage increases saw an average increase of 3%, a figure Indeed suggests "significantly lags" behind top inflation rates in double digits.

Whilst declining inflation is regarded as a ray of hope, signalling the economy is "turning a corner", three-fifths of participants confessed feeling no better off financially. In this regard, Jack Kennedy, a senior economist at Indeed remarked: "After grappling with the cost of living crisis for over two years, it's no surprise that wages are front of mind for voters."

He added: "There's a clear call from the British people for the elected government to further ease financial pressures, and we'd expect this to remain front of mind for the public long after the winning party is decided."