Dutch worker pay rises averaged around 1.1% in the third quarter of this year which is similar to inflation, the national statistics office CBS said on Thursday.

Inflation was around 1% in August.

The cost of employing staff rose 1.7% because of changes in unemployment, sickness and health insurance costs.

Year on year, wages have risen most sharply in the healthcare and welfare sectors and were down an average of 1.8% in the financial services sector.