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New national minimum wage rates announced

Almost a million of Britain's lowest paid workers will benefit from an increase in the national minimum wage (NMW) rates later this year.

On 7 April, the government accepted the independent Low Pay Commission’s recommendations for this year’s rates, which will take effect on 1 October 2011. The new rates will be:

• £6.08 an hour for adults, up by 15p an hour
• £4.98 an hour for 18-20 year olds, up by 6p an hour
• £3.68 an hour for 16-17 year olds, up by 4p an hour
• and £2.60 an hour for apprentices , up by 10p an hour.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said the new rates reflected current economic uncertainty while also protecting employees on low wages. He added: "More than 890,000 of Britain’s lowest-paid workers will gain from these changes."

LINK: http://www.lowpay.gov.uk/