More than a quarter of the people working in the South Hams earn less than the living wage, a report has revealed.

According to a Trade Union Congress analysis of official figures from the House of Commons library, a quarter of the people in Devon are bringing in below the £7.65 living wage.

In the South Hams that figure rises to 26.3 per cent says the TUC.

That compares with the wealthy South East where as few as five percent of people are paid under the living wage.

And the South Hams is one of the better-off districts in Devon.

In worst-hit Torridge, as many as 41 percent of the population get less than £7.65 an hour.

In Torbay, it is 29.9 per cent; Teignbridge 29.7 per cent; Mid Devon 24.6 per cent; East Devon 22.4 per cent; North Devon 22.1 per cent; Plymouth 17.8 per cent; and Exeter 14.8 per cent.

The figures were released to coincide with the 15th anniversary of the introduction of the minimum wage and the second week of the TUC's Fair Pay Fortnight.

Nigel Costley, regional secretary of the South West TUC, said: 'Extending the living wage is a vital way of tackling the growing problem of in-work poverty across Britain.

'Working families are experiencing the biggest pressure on their living standards since Victorian times.

'Pay has been squeezed at all levels below the boardroom and it's costing the south west's economy dear.

'The number of living wage employers is growing rapidly and trade unions are playing their part in encouraging more employers to sign up and pay it – but the Government must show equal initiative.

'We need to see a far greater commitment to pay the living wage from the Government and employers, and modern wages councils which could set higher minimum rates in industries where employers can afford to pay their staff more.

'During Fair Pay Fortnight, we were asking workers to back our call to MPs to get all political parties to put decent pay at the top of their agendas in the run up to the election.'