Full-time workers in Milton Keynes earn more than the average Brit, new figures show
The average full-time worker in MK earns just over £40,000 a year, new data has shown.
And this is higher than the average worker in Britain, it is revealed.
The news comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves last week unveiled her first Budget, in which she raised taxes to a historic level, sent borrowing soaring, and increased spending to boost growth and repair public services.
Ms Reeves vowed to "protect workers", and did not raise national insurance, VAT or income tax for employees.
The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show full-time employees in Milton Keynes earned £40,125 annually as of April – an 8.7% rise on the year before.
Across Great Britain, the average full-time worker earned £37,521, meaning Milton Keynes employees earned more than the average across the country.
In the South East, the average wage was £40,339.
The figures come as Ms Reeves admitted a rise in employers' national insurance could be passed on to workers. These will rise from 13.8% to 15% in April, while the threshold will drop from £9,100 annually to £5,000.
The tax rise is expected to be around £25 billion per year, but experts have warned much of this will be passed onto working people.
The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts 76% of the increase will be passed on by 2026-27 through lower real wages – a combination of a squeeze on pay rises and increased prices.
The watchdog also warned the measure could lead to the equivalent of around 50,000 average-hour jobs being lost.
James Smith, research director at the Resolution Foundation economic think tank, said: "This is definitely a tax on working people, let’s be very clear about that.
"Even if it doesn’t show up in pay packets from day one, it will eventually feed through to lower wages."
Shadow Treasury chief secretary Laura Trott said the Budget will hit workers' pay.
She added: "This follows from the OBR saying household income will fall by 1.25%, and inflation will be pushed up because of the decisions in Labour’s Budget.
"This is the Budget Labour planned all along but was not honest about at the election. And it’s no wonder, the effects of it are far worse than even we predicted during the campaign."