Public sector earnings grows strongly, boosted by health and social care activity

Average weekly earnings in the public sector rose by 5.7% in the year to March, up from 5.3% in the year to February, boosted by stronger earnings growth in the health and social care sectors. It is likely that this extra boost is coming at least partly from extra hours worked to deliver the covid vaccine programme. The rate of growth in average earnings in health and social care was 5.8% in March, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).