From the 1st April 2019, the national minimum wage is increasing for almost all workers.
The 2018/19 increase will mean an additional 5% increase in wages and is thought to affect almost 2.4 million workers. Below are the increases and new rates, as well as which members of the workforce will be affected by them when the 1st April hits…
Who does the minimum wage increase affect?
The minimum wage increase will affect any workers who are at least school leaving age (i.e. they were born by the last Friday in June of the school year they turn 16).
Additionally, as set out by the government, workers also entitled to the minimum wage are:
- Part-time
- Casual labourers (i.e. someone hired for one day)
- An agency worker
- Workers and homeworkers paid by the number of items they make
- Apprentices
- Trainees or workers on probation
- Disabled workers
- Agricultural workers
- Foreign workers
- Seafarers
- Offshore workers
What is the national minimum wage increasing to?
And what about the National Living Wage increase?
The National Living Wage, the minimum amount for workers aged 25 and over as set by the government, also sees a 4.9% increase as of the 1s April 2019.
This amount increase from £7.83 per hour to £8.21 per hour.