Weekly pay hit a new record high in December as Britain's jobs boom continued, with earnings finally climbing back above the level reached 13 years ago before the financial crisis struck.

The average worker was paid £512 a week at the end of 2019, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). After stripping out inflation, this is 35p more than a previous peak in August 2007.

At the same time, employment hit a new record with 32.9 million people in work in the final quarter of the year - 336,000 more than the same period of 2018. The increase was largely powered by a jump in women holding a job.

It means a wage slump following the near-collapse of the world's banking system in 2008 has finally been overcome. Average real earnings dropped by 6.2pc between 2007 and 2014 before starting a long and sluggish recovery.

Employment minister Mims Davies said: “As we embark on a new chapter as an independent nation outside the EU, we do so with a record-breaking jobs market and business confidence on the rise.

“With wages still outpacing inflation, UK workers can expect their money to go further as we look ahead to a decade of renewal."

The jobs market stayed strong despite intense uncertainty triggered by October's Brexit deadline and the December general election. It suggests the economy remained robust going into 2020.

Economist Debapratim De at Deloitte said the rise in jobs and pay should help boost growth.

He said: “The UK labour market continues to defy the recent slowdown in economic activity.

"With employment growth exceeding expectations and vacancies rising for the first time in a year, the jobs market appears more resilient than many expected.

“The continued rise in real wages should also boost consumer spending power.”