Council workers face chilling pay freeze

23/02/2012
UK council employees could find themselves suffering money worries this year as their wages are frozen.

According to the Local Government Association (LGA) more than 1.6 million workers will experience a pay freeze for 2012/13.

Many councils are facing rising expenses and government cuts to their budget, which means that they simply cannot afford wage increases for staff.

LGA spokesman Sarah Messenger said that it was the right decision for taxpayers and "the workforce as a whole.

"Increasing pay would mean more job losses and cuts to the services people need," she said.

She said that the LGA hoped to avoid a fourth pay freeze next year.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that inflation dropped from 4.2 per cent in December to 3.6 per cent in January.

Many thought that this would finally bring some much needed relief to households who are finding their funds increasingly stretched.

However, pay freezes such as these, along with mounting unemployment, suggest that there is some way to go before financial pressures are eased.

Posted by Fiona Tench

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