2010-03-03 05:12:16
Sixteen million workers, or more than half the UK's workforce, do not expect to get a pay increase this year, a survey suggests.
A further nine million expect to receive a pay rise below the level of inflation, the YouGov survey suggests.
Among those who do expect a rise, nurses, civil servants and teachers expect the smallest salary increase.
The survey also suggests a third of consumers in the UK think they will be worse off this year than last.
It also suggests that more than five million consumers spend more than they earn, and of those nearly half are using overdrafts to make up the difference.
"Consumers face a double threat - the government is toying with measures such as raising taxes to reduce the public deficit, which will have a direct impact on personal finances," said Ann Robinson at uSwitch, which commissioned the survey.
"When coupled with lower than anticipated salary increases, it can only mean that we are in for a bumpy ride, and the situation could get worse before it gets better."
The online survey was conducted during February among 4,235 adults.