Using information from its own files, jobs site CV-Library said the average white collar salary in the city sat at £31,192 in the three months to September 30, down 6.9%. Tony McDonough reports

Average salaries for white collar jobs in Liverpool fell by 6.9% in the third quarter of 2019, new data shows.

Using information from its own files, one of the biggest jobs sites in the UK CV-Library said the average white collar salary in the city sat at £31,192 in the three months to September 30, well below the North West average of £36,105, up 10%.

It added that applications for jobs in Liverpool also fell during the same period, dropping by 8.9%, although they were up 2.6% year-on-year. The North West experienced a 6.6% drop in applications quarter-on-quarter; though applications actually rose by 11.9% year-on-year in the region.

CV-Library founder and chief executive, Lee Biggins, said: “We know that Liverpool’s employers are struggling to source the talent they need and this is having an impact on the pay packets they’re able to push out to potential new hires.

“What’s more, while applications are up year-on-year, they have taken a dip on the quarter and this echoes recent reports from the ONS that the number of people in work fell by the largest margin in four years in August. Clearly, the lack of clarity around Brexit and the fact that we are edging closer to D-Day is weakening the city’s jobs market.”

Despite less people applying for new jobs, the amount of vacancies on offer across the UK grew by 9.1% in Q3 2019, with Liverpool experiencing a higher 18.1% rise quarter-on-quarter. The North West as a whole saw job vacancies grow by 13.7%.

Mr Biggins added: “Businesses across Liverpool appear to be pushing forward with their hiring plans, though we know there’s a distinct lack of talent to fill these vacancies. We expect this number to fall even further as we meet the Brexit deadline and move towards the quieter final few months of the year.”