Public sector pay: why workers are squeezed more than private sector

Wages are falling in real terms thanks to Conservatives' 1% pay cap amid rising inflation, official figures show

When Theresa May took the stage at the Conservative party conference last autumn she reprised her pledge for a fairer economy. Specifically, she homed in on pay growth, or the lack of it.

"Our economy should work for everyone, but if your pay has stagnated for several years in a row and fixed items of spending keep going up, it doesn't feel like it's working for you," the prime minister declared.