Hotel and restaurant employees are the lowest paid in the country, according to research by the Office of National Statistics (ONS).
The ONS's New Earnings Survey found the average gross annual pay for full-time restaurant and hotel employees was just £16,533, or £308 a week, compared with a UK average of £25,170.
While this figure marked a year-on-year increase of 3.2%, slightly ahead of the 3.1% UK average, it still left hospitality at the bottom of the 20 industries covered by the survey.
The industry was quick to defend itself against any charges of underpaying, however.
"What reports of this kind fail to take into account are the tips and rent-free accommodation staff within the hospitality industry enjoy," said Nick Scade, chairman of the Restaurant Association and owner of the New Mill restaurant in Berkshire.
Anne Walker, managing director of Springboard UK, said conditions had "dramatically" improved in the industry and it would be "dangerous" to take the report's findings at face value.
"There remain countless stories of people who joined the industry at the bottom and worked their way up to the top - that's not something that happens as much elsewhere," she added.
Meanwhile, Philip Addison, human resources director at Accor Hotels UK & Ireland, said: "Although it's clear as an industry we're low-paying, the level of job satisfaction employees gain in our industry can be higher than in others."
How we compare to other sectors
| SECTOR |
AVERAGE GROSS
ANNUAL EARNINGS |
| Mining and quarrying |
£33,392 |
|
Manufacture of electrical and optical equipment |
£24,155 |
|
Wholesale and retail trade/repair of goods |
£21,637 |
|
Agriculture, hunting and forestry |
£17,580 |
|
Hotels and restaurants |
£16,533 |