Shareholder payouts rose three times faster than UK wages, says TUC

Analysis by unions suggests firms can afford to pay workers more, as handouts have soared 440bn above inflation since 2008

Payouts to shareholders have increased three times faster than workers' wages since the 2008 financial crash, according to a new analysis that unions claim shows companies can afford to pay higher salaries.

Shareholder handouts, through both dividends and companies buying back their own shares, have soared 440bn above inflation since 2008. Meanwhile, wages have fallen, growing 510bn less than inflation. The gap has widened since the financial crash. Before the crisis, dividends grew at double the rate of wages.