The amount of money workers are taking home continues to fall as inflation takes its toll, official figures show.
Average earnings fell in real terms by 0.6% in three months to April, compared with the same period last year.
Before inflation, earnings rose by 1.7% excluding bonuses and were up 2.1% including bonuses, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Unemployment fell by 50,000 to 1.53 million in the three months to April – the lowest since records began in 1975.
The number of people in work hit a new high of 74.8% – the best since records began in 1971.
But the biggest issue will be the falling wages, especially since the ONS revealed on Tuesday that inflation rose to 2.9% in May.
The figures wiped out sterling’s gains against the dollar on Wednesday and analysts warned that future growth could be hit.