Minimum wage report highlights 'importance of reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport'
Nearly one in eight workers in Doncaster is paid the National Living Wage - £12.71 per hour - twice the UK average and more than four times as many as in Cambridge.
South Yorkshire politicians have said Doncaster Sheffield Airport is key to boosting wages in the region, after new analysis found the city has one of the highest rates of workers on the national living wage.
Today, the Centre for Cities publishes its new report “Pay check: The minimum wage in British cities”, which reveals the North-South divide in wages across England.
Nearly one in eight workers in Doncaster is paid the NLW (formerly the minimum wage) - £12.71 per hour - twice the UK average and more than four times as many as in Cambridge.
On top of that, almost a third of the workforce is paid within £1 of the NLW.
Andrew Carter, chief executive of the Centre for Cities, said: “Because Britain has a very geographically uneven economy, the National Living Wage has a disproportionate role in setting wages – and employers’ recruitment and skills plans – in many cities and towns.
“Struggling cities and towns will be the first to feel the effects if future rises to the National Living Wage result in job losses, recruitment freezes or lower investment.”
However, South Yorkshire politicians are hoping that reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport will provide a boost to jobs and wages across the region.
The airport has already hired a number of senior positions, and is currently recruiting roles including air traffic controllers.
Lee Pitcher, MP for the Doncaster East and the Isle of Axholme which includes DSA, said: “This report shows why investment in Doncaster matters.
“When nearly a third of local workers earn within a pound of the minimum wage, we cannot afford to miss out on investment in our area.
“The reopening of DSA will bring around 5,000 jobs in aviation, freight, and advanced manufacturing to our community.
“These are good, skilled jobs that give people a real path to higher pay. I am determined to ensure local residents are first in line for these opportunities through the training and skills programmes we are developing alongside the airport.”
South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard added: “For too long, South Yorkshire has been held back by low pay and a lack of opportunity. That’s why the opportunity ahead matters so much.
“Reopening DSA is a huge chance to do things differently - creating thousands of well-paid jobs at DSA and across the wider economy, alongside the growth of Gateway East.
“Growing better‑paid, higher‑skilled work here in our communities is how we raise wages for good, and how people can stay near, go far, and build a better future right here in South Yorkshire.”