The fastest-rising wages in the UK over the past decade have been in the hospitality sector, according to new research.

Cheltenham-based accountants Hazlewoods have found that average weekly earnings for full-time workers rose 53% from £328 per week in 2012 to £502 per week in 2022.

Hospitality workers have also experienced the fastest wage inflation in the past year, with average weekly earnings jumping 23% from £409 in 2021 to £502 in 2022.

The average hospitality worker has experienced four times as much wage inflation as the UK's average worker, with average wages increasing 4.9% from £696 per week in 2021 to £729 in 2022.

Hazlewoods associate partner Rebecca Copping says the increase in wages over the past decade is partly due to rises in the national minimum wage. This figure has risen by 53% in the last ten years, from £6.19 per hour in 2012 to £9.50 in 2022.

Wage inflation in the hospitality sector in the past year has also been fuelled by labour shortages, with Brexit restrictions reducing the number of workers coming to the UK from the EU.

Under the UK's new immigration system, overseas workers must apply for a skilled worker visa. However, relatively few jobs in hospitality meet the skill and salary criteria required.

As a result of these shortages, employers have been forced to increase wages to attract British and Irish nationals to these positions.

Rebecca Copping said: "Hospitality workers have seen minimum wage rises and Brexit combine to drive up their wages sharply over the past ten years.

"Recruiting from what is now a finite pool of workers in a much more competitive market has meant pay levels have had to increase markedly.

"Higher wages are good news for the staff in the sector, but they are putting the industry's weak margins under even greater pressure."

Hazlewoods will be holding a lunch with head of economics for HSBC UK's Commercial Banking Business, Mark Berrisford Smith, on Thursday 2 March for business leaders in the food and drink industry. Mark will be providing incredible, humorous and thought-provoking insight into the economy and how changes will affect businesses across the food and drink sector in the future.

If you would be interested in attending, please email marketing@hazlewoods.co.uk  to reserve your place.