I have just checked on LCC website for increases in median gross weeky earnings since 2000
http://www.lancashire.gov.uk/office_...s/hyincome.asp
- the median earnings of all workers have rsien from £275.20 to £374.90 per week from 2000 to 2007 (£99.70 per week = 36.23%). This is broken down into men's earning rising from £309.00 per week to £427.90 (£118.90 per week or 38.48%) and women's earning have risen from £215.90 to £267.80 (£51.90 per week or 24.03%).
As Council Tax has risen by 45% (which is Andrewb's reckoning), it has gone up by 9% more than Median Gross Weekly Pay.
What is very disturbing is that the median gross weekly earnings for woman has actually fallen since 2003 and is only £0.70 per week more than it was in 2002.
The median average hourly rate of pay (excluding overtime) is £10.32 for men (in 1998 it was £8.17) and for women is £6.87 (in 1998 it was £5.87). So in 10 years median hourly pay has only increased by £2.15 for men (26.32%) and for women £1.00 (17.05%)