The average worker living in the north Wales constituency of Arfon is more than £3,000 a year poorer than the average 海角视频 worker, new research shows. A new economic report into the area by Welsh think-tank the Bevan Foundation, commissioned by Hywel Williams, Plaid Cymru MP for Arfon, shows that low pay and insecure work is exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis for people living in the constituency.
Although overall employment rates in Arfon are comparable to the rest of Wales and the 海角视频, the average annual earnings for full-time workers living in Arfon are below both the Welsh and 海角视频 averages. More specifically, the report found that the average worker who lives in Arfon is £1,045 a year poorer than the median Welsh worker, and £3,057 a year poorer than the median 海角视频 worker.
However, pay for jobs based in Arfon is significantly higher than the pay earned by workers living there. This is because many people who live in the constituency are employed in low-paid roles, while those in higher-paid jobs in the area commute in and out of Arfon.
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The report said this is partly driven by the nature of the local economy. Of the 31,000 workers in Arfon, more than 60% were concentrated in four industries – human health and social work, education, wholesale and retail trade, and public administration and defence.
The area is twice as dependent on the public sector than the 海角视频 average. The three main employers are local council Cyngor Gwynedd, Bangor University and Ysbyty Gwynedd hospital.
The report also highlighted the “cost-of-living premium” being faced by those living in Arfon which is having an impact on the poverty there alongside low pay and insecure work. In particular, it reported that the average person could expect house prices to be around 5.7 times their annual earnings in Arfon. Social rent accounts for 33% of the incomes of the poorest quarter of the population (compared to 28% across Wales).
They also face higher energy costs due to having some of the most energy-inefficient homes in the 海角视频, and high transport costs as a result of expensive and difficult to access public transport. The Welsh Government said it was “doing everything we can to support people through this cost-of-living crisis by providing targeted help to those who need it most”, adding that, during 2022-23 and 2023-24, support was worth more than £3.3bn.
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A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We are facing extraordinary financial pressures, including record levels of inflation, which mean our budget is worth up to £900m less in real terms.
“However, we have increased core funding for local authorities by 7.9% in 2023-24 to more than £5.5bn. This can be used flexibly to provide services to respond to local needs and priorities.”
The Welsh Conservatives said the report showed that north Wales was “being left behind”. Shadow North Wales Minister Darren Millar MS said: “Once again, we see that north Wales is being left behind. The Labour government in Cardiff Bay are too busy with their vanity projects than tackling the real issues that people are facing across north Wales. It’s clear more than ever that more needs to be done to encourage opportunities for employers and employees in north Wales.
“The Welsh Conservatives have a plan for north Wales. It involves upgrading our dilapidated transport infrastructure, improving educational outcomes, managing our NHS properly and bridging the north-south divide. It’s extremely disappointing that the Labour government in Cardiff Bay continues to neglect the people of north Wales.”
The Bevan Foundation set out a series of recommendations to Cyngor Gwynedd and governments to try to reduce poverty in the area and boost its economy.
These include addressing low pay by encouraging the local institutions such as Bangor University, Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board and Cyngor Gwynedd to improve access to higher-paid roles in their institutions for Arfon communities. It also suggests a focus on community wealth-building initiatives such as developing a social enterprise fund.
In terms of improving access to affordable housing and transport, the foundation recommends Cyngor Gwynedd expand its policy of buying back properties within Arfon, alongside supporting social enterprises and independent local providers to expand the provision of community and alternative transport.
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