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National living wage

The UK government introduced a new minimum wage rate for all but the youngest workers, the national living wage, in 2016. Initially, it was for those aged 25 and over, but it is now for anyone aged 21 and over.

In 2024, the Labour government confirmed plans to apply the wage rate to all adults.

The national living wage (NLW) is compulsory and the Low Pay Commission (LPC) recommends future rises, maintaining it at two-thirds of median hourly earnings and, from 2025, taking into account the cost of living.

The national living wage is different to the Living Wage, a voluntary pay rate independently set by the Living Wage Foundation. The ‘real’ Living Wage is calculated according to the basic cost of living in the UK.


    • National living wage
    • Employment law
    • Latest News

    Uber agrees to give drivers minimum wage and employment rights

    by Jo Faragher 17 Mar 2021
    by Jo Faragher 17 Mar 2021

    Following the Supreme Court ruling that its drivers are workers, Uber is giving its UK drivers a guaranteed minimum wage, holiday pay and pensions.

    • National living wage
    • Latest News
    • Pay & benefits

    National living wage: the workers getting a 9% pay rise on 1 April

    by Ashleigh Webber 9 Mar 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 9 Mar 2021

    From 1 April 2021 thousands of low paid workers will receive a pay rise of almost 9%.

    • National living wage
    • Compensation
    • Latest News

    Morrisons £10 an hour pay deal is first for UK supermarket

    by Jo Faragher 13 Jan 2021
    by Jo Faragher 13 Jan 2021

    Supermarket chain Morrisons has promised to pay staff a minimum of £10 an hour in a new pay deal that...

    • National living wage
    • Latest News
    • Ethnicity

    Part-time, low-paid and ethnic minority workers facing poverty

    by Ashleigh Webber 13 Jan 2021
    by Ashleigh Webber 13 Jan 2021

    Part-time, low-paid and ethnic minority workers are among those struggling most to stay afloat during the current economic crisis, but...

    • National living wage
    • Department for Business and Trade (DBT)
    • Latest News

    Employers flouted minimum wage rules to tune of £6.7m

    by Jo Faragher 4 Jan 2021
    by Jo Faragher 4 Jan 2021

    Household names such as Tesco, Pizza Hut and Superdrug are among 139 firms that have breached minimum wage rules, according to the government.

    • National living wage
    • Coronavirus
    • Latest News

    Pandemic will push down global wage levels

    by Jo Faragher 7 Dec 2020
    by Jo Faragher 7 Dec 2020

    The Covid-19 crisis will inflict ‘massive downward pressure’ on wage levels globally, according to research from the International Labour Organisation....

    • National living wage
    • Financial wellbeing
    • Coronavirus

    Covid crisis creating ‘permanent damage’ to wages

    by Ashleigh Webber 26 Nov 2020
    by Ashleigh Webber 26 Nov 2020

    The average worker’s annual pay packet by the middle of the decade is set to be £1,200 lower than predicted...

    • National living wage
    • Latest News
    • Minimum wage

    National living wage April 2021: 23-year-olds to receive increase

    by Rob Moss 25 Nov 2020
    by Rob Moss 25 Nov 2020

    The age from which workers become eligible for the national living wage will reduce to 23, the government has confirmed...

    • National living wage
    • Absence
    • Right to work

    Employment law: Seven key tasks for HR in 2021

    by Brightmine 11 Nov 2020
    by Brightmine 11 Nov 2020

    2020 was the year that HR was required to react to the unexpected, but it’s now time to plan for...

    • National living wage
    • Latest News
    • Pay & benefits

    New ‘real’ Living Wage rates announced for 2020/21

    by Ashleigh Webber 9 Nov 2020
    by Ashleigh Webber 9 Nov 2020

    The ‘real’ Living Wage – the voluntary hourly rate of pay recommended by the Living Wage Foundation – has risen...

    • National living wage
    • Coronavirus
    • Hospitality

    ONS: Weekly wages stable, but young staff see pay slashed

    by Ashleigh Webber 4 Nov 2020
    by Ashleigh Webber 4 Nov 2020

    The coronavirus pandemic had little effect on most employees’ weekly pay in April thanks to the furlough scheme, but younger...

    • National living wage
    • Coronavirus
    • Latest News

    CBI highlights two-speed economic recovery

    by Adam McCulloch 18 Sep 2020
    by Adam McCulloch 18 Sep 2020

    Business body's annual survey reveals companies' views of recruitment, pay freezes and National Living Wage as coronavirus crisis continues.

    • National living wage
    • Coronavirus
    • Latest News

    National living wage could be frozen next year

    by Ashleigh Webber 7 Sep 2020
    by Ashleigh Webber 7 Sep 2020

    National living wage rise considered unaffordable by the government, which may abandon pledge for NLW to reach 60% of median earnings.

    • National living wage
    • Coronavirus
    • Latest News

    London top for wealth and productivity but wage gap narrows

    by Jo Faragher 3 Aug 2020
    by Jo Faragher 3 Aug 2020

    Productivity and earnings are at least a third higher in some areas of London than the UK average, although the gap in earnings and wage growth is narrowing.

    • National living wage
    • Coronavirus
    • Personnel Today

    Boohoo to investigate ‘unsafe’ conditions at Leicester factory

    by Jo Faragher 8 Jul 2020
    by Jo Faragher 8 Jul 2020

    Low-cost fashion retailer Boohoo has promised to investigate workers’ pay and conditions at a Leicester factory.

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