From January 2010, the Average Earnings Index (AEI) was replaced as the official earnings measure by the new Average Weekly Earnings (AWE) series. The following figures for the AWE are seasonally adjusted and include bonus payments, but exclude arrears of pay. Percentage figures show year-on-year growth in average earnings over a three-month period.

In the three months to December 2009, average earnings for the whole economy rose by 0.8 per cent on the previous year, unchanged from the revised growth figure in November.

In the private sector, there was zero growth in average earnings in December for the second consecutive month.

In the public sector (excluding financial services) growth in average earnings in the three months to December fell to 2.6 per cent on the previous year, down from 2.7 per cent in the three months to November.

Future release dates: 17 March, 21 April 2010