From April 2021, there will be some significant changes to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and this includes a change to age brackets.

The NMW was first introduced on 1^st April 1999 and each year, the Low Pay Commission (LPC) meets to decide what changes need to be made to this and the National Living Wage (NLW) which was introduced for the first time in 2016.  The independent body takes into account any changes in wage growth, predicted changes in pricing and aims to be modestly ahead of these to ensure standards are protected for all low-paid workers.

Employers should ensure they review the main changes:

1. Change to the National Living Wage Age Bracket

For the first time, the NLW will be extended to those aged 23 and over.  Currently, this wage is only applicable to people aged 25 and over.  This will see their wages rise to at least £8.91 from 1^st April 2021, a rise of 71p per hour for some in this bracket.

2. All other wages will rise

From apprentices to those ages, 21-22 years old, all pay will rise at mostly smaller increments.

New National Minimum Wage & National Living Wage Rates

On 31^st December, the UK Government’s Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy published a list of 139 companies that failed to pay £6.7 million to over 95,000 workers and this included many well-known household names such as Tesco, Costco and Pizza Hut.

>> We have published a guide to avoiding common mistakes when paying employees.