Photograph by Ken Teegardin/Senior Living
The national minimum wage is set to rise 19p to £6.50 per hour across the UK from October, the first time since the financial collapse in 2008 that the rate has risen by more than inflation.
The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) approved the rise, following a recommendation by the Low Pay Commission (LPC).
Business Secretary Vince Cable said:
“The recommendations I have accepted today mean that low paid workers will enjoy the biggest cash increase in their take home pay since 2008. This will benefit over 1 million workers on National Minimum Wage and marks the start of a welcome new phase in minimum wage policy.”
The rise has been welcomed by many across the political spectrum, but some hope that it is the start of wider improvements for the lowest paid, with General Secretary Frances O’Grady of the TUC union saying:
“It is good that the government has accepted the LPC’s call for an increase in the minimum wage. The rise will benefit around 1.5 million workers, almost two-thirds (61 per cent) of whom will be women.
But this must be seen as only the first step in a series of bolder increases in future years that will help the many low-paid workers – who are suffering the tightest squeeze in their living standards in a century – and who think the Chancellor promised them £7 an hour.”
