Editor's Note: Pay may have overtaken inflation, but bumps lie ahead

The story of the UK economy remains a tale of enormous inequality. While pay is still growing (page 4), the lives of those lowest paid workers - hit hardest by inflation – are in contrast with FTSE 100 CEOs, paid 120 times the median pay.

Summer tends to be quiet for deals, with most public sector pay offers yet to be accepted. However, deals have been done and our new page (Bargaining news, page 6) draws from the latest LRD Payline data.

Elsewhere we have the latest employment law cases (page 12), with comments on rulings that range across racial discrimination, contracts, consultation procedures and unfair dismissal. The improved design should help reps access the detail of these often-complex cases.

In that other bit of summer news, the new Labour government is already making a difference to public sector pay offers, though questions remain after years of cuts (main feature, page 19). Recent changes for carers are explored in the second feature (page 22), changes the new administration intends to build on. Workplace Report has a new look for new times.