Incomes Data Research

Discover the latest insights on sick pay IDR’s Sick Pay report analyses data from 136 organisations across the UK to provide a detailed picture of occupational sick pay provision. It looks at how entitlement to enhanced sick pay varies by employee group and length of service. The IDR Sick Pay report provides details of sick pay provision by sector for each of the first five years of employment, as well as entitlement for longer-serving staff. It also provides an overview of employers’ approaches towards managing sickness absence, including use of the Bradford Factor and other triggers that might prompt further action. For more information click the link below.

Occupational sick pay typically worth 26 weeks’ pay after five years Entitlement to statutory sick pay (SSP) is set to change with the implementation of the Employment Rights Bill, which was presented to Parliament last month. This will eventually see the elimination of the three ‘waiting days’ that apply under the existing arrangements and the extension of the provision to all workers regardless of earnings. In practice however, many employers already offer their staff a certain amount of enhanced or ‘occupational’ sick pay (OSP). Research we conducted among 136 organisations in August and September this year found that where they do so, such policies are usually the same for all eligible staff, although 30% of respondents apply separate policies to different groups of staff...

ASHE shows rise in proportion of workers earning at or below NLW Figures from the latest official survey of employee earnings in the UK show that earnings grew by some 6% overall between April 2023 and April 2024. The gender pay gap appears to have narrowed further but remains significant with women earning 13.1% less than men on average. However, the proportion of workers earning at or below the National Living Wage (NLW) at the time the survey was conducted (£11.44) increased slightly. The figures are taken from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), conducted each April by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and released this year on Tuesday 29 October...

The Haunted Research Hub 🎃 🪄 IDR is an independent research organisation that delves into the spooky world of pay and employment. Our research covers the ghostly areas of pay, benefits, reward practices, and HR policy. We provide HR professionals with the information, data, analysis, and tools they need to make frightfully intelligent reward decisions. 👻

Meet the Spooky Team at IDR 🧹👻 Katherine G the Data Sorceress - Katherine G our survey and data administrator, gathers salary data for Pay Benchmarker with her mystical skills. She collects and prepares data, ensuring every detail is as precise as a witch’s brew. Her magical touch transforms raw data into valuable insights that enchant our clients. 🎃 🕸️ Louisa the Illusionist - Louisa works her magic to lead IDR’s bespoke research and consultancy services. With a wealth of knowledge on pay and rewards, she ensures every project is a bewitching success. 🧙 🦴 Ken the Master of Research - Ken is the Director of Research and Editor-in-Chief, but come Halloween, he becomes the Research Wizard. With his magical pen, he conjures up spooky insights and leads IDR’s research and networking with a touch of the supernatural. His edits are as sharp as a vampire’s fangs! 🧛🦇 Katherine H the Enchanter - Katherine H our qualitative research specialist, extracts insights from case studies and interviews with her mystical prowess. She leads our research with an enchanted touch, uncovering hidden truths and weaving them into compelling narratives that leave our clients spellbound. 🪄 👻 🧚

🎃👻 Halloween at IDR! 👻🎃 Here at IDR, we’ve gone all out to celebrate Halloween! Our workspace is now a haunted haven, complete with cobwebs, bats and pumpkins.🕸️🦇🎃

National Living Wage to rise to £12.21 from April 2025 As part of her Budget speech, the Chancellor formally announced that the National Living Wage (NLW), the ‘adult’ statutory minimum pay rate that applies to all workers aged 21 and over, will rise to £12.21 from next April. At 6.7%, the increase is lower than those applied in both April 2024 (9.8%) and April 2023 (9.7%) but it is nonetheless somewhat higher than both current inflation rates and median pay rises...

Voluntary living wage rises by 5% to £12.60 The Living Wage Foundation has today announced that the voluntary (or ‘real’) living wage (VLW) rate will increase by 5% from £12.00 to £12.60, while the London rate will rise by 5.3% or 70p, to £13.85. The new rates apply with immediate effect but accredited Living Wage employers, of which there are now more than 15,000, have until 1 May 2025 to implement them...

Average weekly earnings growth continues to slow The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal that both regular earnings and total earnings growth continued to dip in the three months to August 2024. Annual growth in average regular earnings (which excludes bonuses) was 4.9% for the whole economy, down from 5.1% in the previous three-month period. Regular earnings growth was last lower in the three months to June 2022, when it showed at 4.7%. Average total earnings growth (which includes bonuses) was 3.8%, down from 4.1% in the previous three months...

The Tipping Act comes into force today, obliging employers to pass on all tips to their staff. Find out more in our article: