Where in Scotland has the highest wages?

WORKERS in five council areas earn more than the Scottish average.
A map of pay for workers in Scotland shows winners and losers when it comes to wagesA map of pay for workers in Scotland shows winners and losers when it comes to wages
A map of pay for workers in Scotland shows winners and losers when it comes to wages

Workers pay has gone up in Scotland - but where are Scots earning the most?

Figures from the Scottish Government showed that last year Scots earned an average gross salary of £27,045, £150 less than the UK average, but a 2.1 per cent rise on the year before.

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A breakdown of pay across Scotland shows five local authority areas where hourly pay outstrips the Scottish average of £11.68.

Regions with linked with the oil and gas industries experience above average earnings.Regions with linked with the oil and gas industries experience above average earnings.
Regions with linked with the oil and gas industries experience above average earnings.

Edinburgh workers still have the highest hourly rate at £13.66 - up 1.3 per cent on the year.

Behind the Edinburgh trend is likely to be the higher pay for those working in financial and insurance, who earn an average of £15.41 an hour.

The second highest earners are found in Aberdeen, where employees earn an average of £13.60 an hour - up 1.4 per cent on the year.

Higher wages found in the oil and gas industry - the sector with the highest pay in Scotland - are driving the figures.

Data from the Scottish Government found that mining and quarrying - which includes the North Sea industry - pays an average of £20.34 and hour.

Other pay rates by industry include construction (£12.28), arts (£9.07) and retail (£8.01).

Workers in Glasgow are also paid above the Scottish average at £12.65 and hour, with Dundee to enjoying higher than average hourly pay at £11.94.

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Orkney is the fifth and final area of Scotland where workers are paid above the Scottish average at £11.78. This is also likely due to oil and gas activity around the islands, where wages grew an average of 4.4 per cent over the year.

Meanwhile, figures also show an increase in the numbers of those living on the National Living Wage, which at the time the research was published last year was £6.31. It has since risen to £6.50 for those aged 21 and over and due to rise to £6.70 on October 1.

In 2014, numbers on the lowest legally binding wage was 69,000 - up £6,000 from the year before (3 per cent).

PLACE OF WORK / MEDIAN HOURLY PAY / ANNUAL % RISE

Aberdeen City 13.60 / 1.4

Aberdeenshire 10.50 / 3.1

Angus 10.09 / 0.6

Argyll and Bute 10.44 / 2.2

City of Edinburgh 13.66 / 1.3

Clackmannanshire 9.99 / -10.9

Dumfries and Galloway 9.84 / 3.2

Dundee City 11.94 / 2.0

East Ayrshire 10.71 / -1.1

East Dunbartonshire 9.99 / -5.5

East Lothian 10.91 / -4.9

East Renfrewshire 10.03 / 9.5

Eilean Siar 11.38 / 0.3

Falkirk 11.11 / 5.5

Fife 10.71 / 0.2

Glasgow City 12.65 / 1.5

Highland 11.11 / 2.8

Inverclyde 10.27 / -0.8

Midlothian 11.02 / 0.3

Moray 10.12 / 2.9

North Ayrshire 10.92 / 9.0

North Lanarkshire 11.27 / 3.3

Orkney Islands 11.78 / 4.4

Perth and Kinross 10.35 / 2.4

Renfrewshire 11.19 / -4.7

Scottish Borders 10.29 / -0.1

Shetland Islands 11.61 / -8.7

South Ayrshire 11.52 / -0.7

South Lanarkshire 11.63 / 5.3

Stirling 11.40 / -6.9

West Dunbartonshire 11.31 / -1.2

West Lothian 11.13 / 5.8

SCOTLAND 11.68 / 1.6