Average salaries in the UK decreased annually in January across all regions according to the latest UK Job Market Report from Adzuna.

When compared to the previous year, average salaries fell by 0.8% to £32,420 in January. The report states that the salary figure has impacted on affordability as living costs are on the rise.

Salaries in London have experienced the highest annual decline and are now 4.1% lower than January 2016. The total number of advertised roles in the capital stands at 244,876 with typical salaries of £38,547, the highest number of vacancies and salaries within the labour market. January’s figures also show that salaries in Wales have fallen by 1.5% in the 12 months to January to currently stand at £29,248. Similarly, Northern Ireland salaries fell by 2.2% in January.

“Looking at the bigger picture, wages have flatlined for some time and affordability concerns for employees and jobseekers will come into play as disposable incomes are stretched,” Doug Monro, co-founder of Adzuna, said. “On a positive note, the employment rate has reached its highest point in terms of volume proving that there are a number of factors within the labour market as well as social factors such as more women in work, which are increasing productivity. In addition, competition per vacancy has increased, suggesting employers have more skilled workers to choose from.”

UK job vacancies increased by 0.8% in January to 1,088,353, while jobseekers per vacancy fell by 21.3% to 0.48.

Meanwhile, salaries in creative and design jobs saw an annual increase of 2.2% to £31,828 in January. The popularity of this sector has been driven by factors such as the new digital age as well as the expertise of graduates who step into the jobs market with a fresh outlook on social media channels such as Snapchat and Instagram, which are highly valuable to employees, according to the report.

Average salaries for healthcare & nursing stand at £36,580 (up 5.3% year-on-year), remaining well above the national average salary for all sectors.

“With Brexit on the horizon, the popularity of the healthcare & nursing sector looks uncertain, as the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned that the NHS is at breaking point. However, the popularity of both sectors highlights the diversity of jobseekers in terms of those seeking traditional roles at the forefront of their job choices in comparison to jobseekers looking to break into creative industries,” Monro said.

“The post-Brexit economy looks uncertain for the jobs market, but it is encouraging to see both traditional and new, digital-age job roles evolving and creating a dynamic jobs market with a variety of options for jobseekers and employees wishing to switch roles,” Monro said.