Preston bucks the trend in Central Lancashire with rising wages

It means that pay packets for people in the city benefit from a cash difference of £5 a week since the financial crash, according to new figures from the Trades Union Congress (TUC).

The analysis shows which local authority areas have suffered the biggest hit to real wages - wages once the cost of living has been taken into account - since the recession hit.

And within Central Lancashire Preston is also performing best. In 2008, in real terms, city centre workers were earning £443 a week and by 2018 that number was up to £448.

Coun Matthew Brown, leader of Preston City Council (PCC), said: “It is disappointing to see these statistics for the North West, which show that a large percentage of people living in the region are still not earning enough to cover the cost of living.

“However I am pleased to say that Preston is bucking the trend, with numbers that are improving year-on-year.

"This includes rising rates of employment, increased number of living wage employers and a higher earning rate for female part time workers than in any other district in the county.

"This has been in part due to our policies to improve wage levels and tackle inequality.

“There is still much work to be done to improve the economic situation but we are proud to be leading by example on key issues.”

Workers in South Ribble are the worst hit in Central Lancashire with weekly earnings of £467 in 2008 dropping to £408 in 2018 - that’s a fall amounting to £59.

In 2008 in Chorley workers were earning £424 a week but in 2018 that figure was down to £383, a difference of £41.