The Government announced in October’s budget that it accepted the Low Pay Commission’s Autumn 2018 recommendations for an increase to minimum wage rates.
Accordingly, the legal minimum hourly rates for workers will increase as follows from 1 April 2019 (to be applied to the employee’s next pay reference period after that date):
- from £7.83 to £8.21 for workers aged 25 and over (the National Living Wage)
- from £7.38 to £7.70 for 21-24 year olds
- from £5.90 to £6.15 for 18-20 year olds
- from £4.20 to £4.35 for 16-17 year olds
- from £3.70 to £3.90 for apprentices aged under 19 or in the first year of their apprenticeship.
The daily accommodation offset increases from the current £7.00 to £7.55 on 1 April 2019.