National Minimum Wage rises this week
Around 2.7 million people are set to receive a pay rise this week as the national minimum wage goes up by 50p to £12.71 for over 21s.
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Notable Quotes
"The recommendations we made last autumn sought to balance the need to protect the economy and labour market, whilst providing a real-terms increase for the lowest-paid members of society."
— Baroness Philippa Stroud , Executive
"The increases were intended to provide a real-terms pay rise while maintaining stability in the labour market."
— Baroness Philippa Stroud , Executive
"the minimum wage remained 'one of the most successful Government policies in recent decades' and described it as a cornerstone of the government’s plan to 'make work pay'."
— Kate Dearden , Politician
"the above-inflation increase would 'make a real difference to the lowest-paid'."
— Paul Nowak , Executive
"many businesses in the sector had reached the limit of what they could absorb and that additional wage costs were likely to be passed on to consumers."
— Kate Nicholls , Executive
Key People
Chair of the Low Pay Commission.
Bira champions the cause of independent traders and shopkeepers across Britain.
Kate Dearden is the Labour MP for Halifax.
Kate Nicholls is the chief executive of UKHospitality.
General secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), advocating for workers' rights.
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Around 2.7 million people are set to receive a pay rise this week as the national minimum wage goes up by 50p to £12.71 for over 21s.
The UK government has increased the National Living Wage to £12.71 per hour for workers aged 21 and over, effective from 1 April 2026, following recommendations from the Low Pay Commission.
Millions of UK workers are set to receive a pay increase as the National Living Wage rises to £12.71 per hour from 1 April 2026, marking a 4.1% increase from the previous rate.
The UK's National Living Wage has increased to £12.71 per hour for workers aged 21 and over, effective from 1 April 2026, as part of the annual minimum wage review.
The UK has updated its minimum wage rates effective from 1 April 2026, with the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over increasing to £12.71 per hour.
The National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage increased from the start of April, with a number of measures under the Employment Rights Act also introduced from this month.
The National Minimum Wage rates have been updated, with the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over rising to £12.71 per hour from 1 April 2026.
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