Responding to the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations to increase the National Minimum Wage, the ALMR has welcomed the measured increase and called upon Government to continue to support businesses’ investments in their staff.
The LPC has recommended the following changes:
Adult rate: 3% increase to £6.70 per hour
Youth (18-20): 3.3% increase to £5.30 per hour
Minor (16-17): 2.2% increase to £3.87 per hour
Apprentice: 2.6% increase to £2.80 per hour
ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said: “The Low Pay Commission has recognised the very real pressures being placed on businesses in terms of labour costs and tightening margins and the increases reflect this. We are also pleased to see the Commission recognising the importance of keeping youth and apprenticeship rates affordable for businesses. As a result, we are urging all parties to accept the recommendation.
“The latest ALMR employment survey shows that almost half of respondents reported an average hourly wage of £7 or more. Pubs, bars and restaurants are clearly willing to invest in their staff if the conditions are right. A little extra money in the pockets of our staff will also no doubt go some way to supporting pubs and bars across the UK.
“Keeping wages affordable is a good first step but we would also like to see increased support, particularly for adult apprentices. We are repeating our calls for fully-funded apprenticeships for 19-24 year olds plus additional funding for over-25s to encourage those people who have not been through higher education to discover the range of careers our sector offers.”
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