A2 Romania and Bulgaria, both of which joined the EU in January 2007

A8 The eight central and eastern European Accession countries that joined the EU in May 2004: the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.

ABI Annual Business Inquiry

ACS Association of Convenience Stores

AEI Average Earnings Index

ALMR Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers

ALP Association of Labour Providers

ASHE Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings

AWB Agricultural Wages Board

AWE Average Weekly Earnings

BATC British Apparel & Textile Confederation

BBPA British Beer and Pub Association

BCC British Chambers of Commerce

BERR Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform

BHA British Hospitality Association

BIA Border and Immigration Agency

BISL Business in Sport and Leisure

BRC British Retail Consortium

BSSA British Shops and Stores Association

BYC British Youth Council

CBI Confederation of British Industry

CPI Consumer Price Index

CPL Comparative Price Level

CSSA Cleaning and Support Services Association

DCSF Department for Children, Schools and Families

DDA Disability Discrimination Act

DfES Department for Education and Skills

DTI Department of Trade and Industry

DWP Department for Work and Pensions

EAS Employment Agency Standards

ECCA English Community Care Association

EIS Employment Information Services

EOC Equal Opportunities Commission

ES Enterprise Survey

ET Employment Tribunal

EU European Union

FSB Federation of Small Businesses

FTE Full-time education

GB Great Britain

GDP Gross Domestic Product

GLA Gangmasters Licensing Authority

HMRC Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs

IDS Incomes Data Services Ltd

ILO International Labour Organisation

IMF International Monetary Fund

JWEP Joint Workplace Enforcement Pilot

LFS Labour Force Survey

LPC Low Pay Commission

LSC Learning and Skills Council

LSE London School of Economics and Political Science

MOD Ministry of Defence

MWSS Monthly Wages and Salary Survey

NCA National Care Association

NEET Not in Education, Employment or Training

NFU National Farmers’ Union (England and Wales)

NGH National Group on Homeworking

NHF National Hairdressers’ Federation

NICs National Insurance Contributions

NIESR National Institute of Economic and Social Research

NMW National Minimum Wage

OECD Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

ONS Office for National Statistics

PPP Purchasing Power Parity

Q Quarter

RPI Retail Price Index

RPIX Retail Price Index excluding mortgage interest payments

TUC Trades Union Congress

UK United Kingdom

UKHCA United Kingdom Home Care Association

Usdaw Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers

VAT Value Added Tax

WRS Worker Registration Scheme

YDR Youth Development Rate