Low-Paid Workers and Covid in UK – One-third of workers in the lowest-paid group have been furloughed, or lost jobs or hours

This briefing note summarises Resolution Foundation research on low-paid workers and their experiences of work and the labour market. These are the workers that we are trying to reach with Resolution Ventures and the Workertech Partnership. It highlights that some groups of workers are more likely to be low paid, including the young, those working part-time and those in sectors including hospitality, leisure and retail. It also shows that low-paid workers are more likely to experience other forms of labour market disadvantage.

Key findings

• Low pay is a significant issue in the UK, although it had been falling in the years up to 2020. 14 per cent of employees were low paid in 2020, and 21 per cent were paid below the real living wage.
• Low-paid workers are disproportionately female, young, and working part-time; many are found in the hospitality and retail sectors.
• Low-paid workers have been hardest hit by Covid-19: one-third of workers in the lowest-paid group have been furloughed, or lost jobs or hours.
• Many workers are ‘stuck’ in low pay; those that move into higher-paid work tend to be young, with better qualifications.
• Many low-paid workers don’t work as many hours as they would like, and lack control over their work schedules.

Chosen excerpts by Job Market Monitor. Read the whole story @  Workertech and low pay • Resolution Foundation