Minimum wage set to rise

29 September 2008

Employers are being reminded that the national minimum wage increases as from 1 October.

The minimum hourly rate for adult workers aged 22 and above rises from £5.52 to £5.73.

For workers aged 18 to 21, it rises from £4.60 per hour to £4.77 per hour.

For workers aged 16 to 17, it increases from £3.40 per hour to £3.53 per hour.

Employers who fail to pay the legal rate could be fined by as much as £5,000.

As well as full-time, permanent staff, workers who are eligible for the national minimum wage include homeworkers, part-time workers, casual workers, agency workers and people on short-term contracts.

Employers who provide a worker with living accommodation can offset £4.46 a day from the national minimum wage for each day that the accommodation is provided.