There are a record number of people in work, with over 32.75 million people now in work, up 354,000 in the past year and up by 3.70 million since 2010, and the unemployment rate is at its lowest since 1974.
What’s more, new figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) have shown that wages are rising at their fastest pace in 11 years. Average weekly earnings for employees have increased by 3.6 per cent compared with a year earlier, growing by 1.7 per cent after adjusting for inflation.
Behind every employment number is a person whose self-esteem, mental wellbeing and life chances are all vastly improved by being in the workplace. With record high employment and rising wages, more people are enjoying the benefits of economic independence.
Conservatives in government have also kept our promise to increase the personal allowance to £12,500 a year early so that 32 million people can keep more of what they earn, and taking 1.74 million people out of paying tax altogether.
The Government has also increased the national Living Wage - this has taken the proportion of jobs that are low paid to its lowest level since 1986. The introduction of the National Living Wage pushed up hourly pay and, as a result, the proportion of people on low pay fell below 20 per cent for the first time since 1986 - with almost 200,000 workers lifted out of low pay last year.
Conservatives in government are helping people into work by reforming welfare so work always pays, while backing businesses to create more, better paying jobs across the whole country through careful economic management.
No Labour government has ever left office with unemployment lower than when it started, and the number of unemployed people increased by one million in Labour’s last term in office.
With wages outpacing inflation for 16 months in a row, more people in work than ever before, and joint-record female employment, the Conservatives are backing workers and helping families with the cost of living.