Worst squeeze in 21 years for British households piles pressure on Johnson     

It creates a major challenge for Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey as policy makers try to curb inflation without pushing the UK economy into recession

Average earnings in the UK, excluding bonuses, were 3.4% lower in April than a year earlier. This is piling pressure on British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

The spending power of British households fell the most in at least 21 years as wage increases were eaten up by the fastest inflation in decades, official figures showed.

When adjusted for prices, average earnings excluding bonuses were 3.4% lower in April than a year earlier, the biggest drop since modern records began in 2001, the Office for National Statistics said.