Tories consider saving £1bn with lower state pension rise as pay growth cools

Ministers likely to be discussing 7.9% increase rather than 8.5% by choosing triple-lock figures selectively

• UK regular pay rises faster than inflation

Earnings growth has peaked. Living standards are rising even though demand for workers is cooling. Ministers have a big decision to make on next year's state pension uprating.

Those were the three main conclusions to be drawn from a more limited report than usual on the state of the UK jobs market provided by the Office for National Statistics.