The National Minimum Wage
What is the National Minimum Wage?
The National Minimum Wage is a minimum hourly rate of pay which a workers pay must not fall below. It became statute on 1st April 1999 to prevent excessively low pay to workers as well as setting a minimum benchmark for employers. It is a legal right which applies to almost all UK workers.
What are the rates of the National Minimum Wage?
The rates from 1st October 2010 are as follows:
- Workers aged 21 and over - £5.93 per hour
- Workers aged 18-20 - £4.92 per hour
- Workers aged 16-17 - &pund;3.68 per hour
- Apprentices under 19 &pund;2.50 per hour
- Apprentices aged 19 and over but in their first year of their apprenticeship - &pund;2.50 per hour
If a worker suspects that their employer is not paying them the National Minimum Wage they can make a complaint about their employer to the HMRC. The HMRC is responsible for enforcing the National Minimum Wage and as well as responding to complaints received by workers they also conduct ad hoc visits to employers to ensure compliance of the National Minimum Wage to workers.
Who is eligible for the National Minimum Wage?
The National Minimum Wage applies to adult workers that are:
- Working legally in the UK
- Not genuinely self-employed
- Have a written, oral or implied contract
The above information is not intended to be a complete or definitive statement of the law. For more information or advice please contact our Employment Law team.
