NI saw largest rise in disposable income of any UK region
Real disposable income per person in Northern Ireland rose by 4.1% in 2024, the biggest rise of any UK region, new figures suggest.
That growth was likely influenced by sharp, inflation-linked increases in benefits, pensions and the minimum wage.
The figures, from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), estimate the amount of money that people have for spending or saving after they have paid taxes and received benefits.
Northern Ireland has a relatively high proportion of people on minimum wages and receiving benefits. That means when those payment rates change it can have an outsized impact in Northern Ireland.
Which region has the lowest disposable income?
However the figures are also likely to reflect the fact that real wages across the Northern Ireland private sector were rising in 2024.
The figures show that, on average, real disposable income per person in the UK rose by 3.1%, external.
The lowest increase of 2.2% was in the north east of England.
Northern Ireland is in the middle of the pack overall with real disposable income per person of £22,258, marginally below the north west of England.
The West Midlands, Yorkshire, Wales and the north east of England all have lower disposable incomes.
London is an outlier with an average disposable income of more than £36,000 per head although there are very large variations between London's boroughs.
The UK average is £26,490 per head with only London, south east England and east of England above that.
Northern Ireland's relative position within the UK ranking has improved over the last decade, though that is largely because of a weakening performance in Wales and some of the English regions.
Within Northern Ireland the largest average disposable income per head is in Lisburn and Castlereagh at £24,515.
The lowest is Derry and Strabane at £20,375.