After the months of uncertainty we have borne witness to in Westminster, this week I’m pleased to be able to give you some good news for Cheshire.

News which indicates that, in these difficult times, we can achieve stability with an informed and compassionate approach to economic stewardship.

Growth in regular pay from June to August 2022 was 5.4 per cent among employees.

This is the most substantial growth in regular pay seen outside of the pandemic period.

At a time when the cost of living is the biggest issue for families, this will - along with significant and direct Government financial support - help ease the pressure.

So how is low pay defined? In 2022, low pay is below £9.85 per hour, whereas high pay is more than £22.16 per hour.

The proportion of low-paid employee jobs - based on hourly pay - fell from 14.3 per cent in 2021 to 10.5 per cent in 2022, which is the lowest level since the records began in 1997, and represents the halving of the number of employees in low-paid jobs as a proportion of the total UK workforce.

This is fantastic news: both for those workers who have risen out of that low pay bracket, but also for the whole country. It is a sign of confidence in the UK economy and recognition that our workforce is worth its collective salt.

Average hourly pay for full-time employees has increased for all pay bands year-on-year. However, it is part time-jobs and the lower pay bands that have seen the most significant increases in hourly wages.

In terms of raising wages, I strongly welcomed the Government’s decision to follow the recommendations of the independent Low Pay Commission and increase the National Living Wage by 6.6 per cent from £8.91 to £9.50.

This increase has been in effect since April 2022, and covers 23 and 24-year-olds - after the Government extended the National Living Wage to this age group in April 2021.

I know that my ministerial colleagues are committed to creating the conditions for employment and wage growth, whilst continuing to invest in the skills infrastructure necessary to underpin Britain’s economic future - an example of which I saw for myself last week at our local Reaseheath College.

And, although there is more to do, I am wholly convinced that the broadening of the English education system over the last decade - including apprenticeships, degree apprenticeships, ‘T’ levels, and other vocational paths—has contributed to this positive news for these deserving workers and their families, both here in Eddisbury and across the country.

To get in touch with Edward Timpson about this or other national or local issues, please visit edwardtimpson.com/contact, where you can also sign up for Edward’s Eddisbury Report e-newsletter.