Pay rises in Britain 'lowest in the world'

Workers at different levels of career development in the UK can expect to receive pay rises of just one per cent this year, the Hay Group has said.

The management consultancy firm's Reward in a Downturn survey found that UK workers were the worst off in terms of pay increments compared to their European and global counterparts.

European employees are predicted to receive pay rises of two per cent in 2009 and other around the world are likely to pick up increases to base salary of 2.8 per cent.

Nick Boulter, global head of reward services at Hay Group, said: "Organisations have been forced, due to the speed and depth of the recession, to take swift, direct action, across all employee levels, to reduce their salary costs, and safeguard their companies.

"In addition to facing low salary increases, wage freezes, and for some wage cuts, employees also have to contend with possible job losses as companies have been forced to restructure."