The Prime Minister has revealed that the UK national minimum wage is set to rise in October 2008, exactly a year after the last increase.
It will be increased to £5.73 per hour, that’s up from £5.52 for adults over 21, but the rise is still less than the current inflation.
Those in employment who are under 21 will also see a minimum wage increase from £4.60 to £4.77 and 16 and 17 year olds will benefit from a 13p hourly increase to be £3.53 per hour.
First introduced in 1999, the minimum wage has gone up by about 60% and ensures workers a minimum wage to the lower paid workers, ensuring them some kind of decent salary. However the minimum wage still means that many families are living from hand to mouth, especially with the recent hike in food and fuel costs.
Despite this legislation, there are still claims that over 145,000 workers are still working for less than the minimum wage which needs to be dealt with.
Find out more about the National Minimum Wage at www.direct.gov.uk
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