Third of local jobs pay below living wage

AROUND a third of Oldham jobs pay less than the living wage, a new report says..

The Office for National Statistics reports just over 33 per cent of jobs pay less than the basic cost of living in the UK - which equates to 21,000 jobs.

In neighbouring Tameside it’s 24 per cent, affecting 16,000 jobs. Rochdale’s figure is 32 per cent or 18,000 jobs. Nationally, the figure outside London is 23 per cent.

The ONS says the voluntary rate is £7.85 an hour outside London and £9.15 within the capital. Both are due to be uprated in November.