MP hopefuls in York Central have clashed over the extent of the “cost of living crisis” in the city.

Labour’s Rachael Maskell has written to businesses in the city, urging them to sign up the Living Wage saying that with a real term fall in wages in the city equivalent to £3,580 since 2010, the cost of living crisis is having a disproportionate impact on people living in York.

The statistics come from analysis of an Office of National Statistics report, but their relevance has been questioned by opponents from the other two largest parties.

Conservative candidate Robert McIlveen and Lib Dem Nick Love have both pointed to the zero rate on inflation and growing wages as an indicator that household budgets are doing better.

Mr McIlveen said: “According to the independent Office of National Statistics real household disposable income is higher now than when we took office.”

The Lib Dem candidate has also cited analysis from the Institute of Fiscal Studies, where income from self-employment, pensions, benefits and tax credits are taken into account. He added: “A chunk of the £3,580 Rachael talks about would have been paid in income tax and NICs anyway and Labour’s figures don’t pick up impacts of tax and benefit reforms.”