Government to raise national minimum wage in latest concession gained by workers

The national minimum wage for adults will increase by 15 pence from October 2011 to £6.08 an hour, the government has said.

The 2.5% increase was recommended by the independent Low Pay Commission (LPC).

The rate for apprentices will rise by 10p, for 16-17 year-olds by 4p and for 18-20 year-olds by 6p.

Business Secretary Vince Cable said the changes would help more than 890,000 of Britain's lowest-paid workers.

The LPC was unanimous in its recommendations "despite all the economic uncertainties" according to its chairman, David Norgrove.

The complete set of changes are:

over-20s: up 15p (2.5%) to £6.08
18-20 year-olds: up 6p (1.2%) to £4.98
16-17 year-olds: up 4p (1.1%) to £3.68
apprentices: up 10p to (4%) £2.60.
'Wrong'

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) said the changes risked pricing young people out of work when youth unemployment was at a record high.

"The change to the National Minimum Wage rates announced today is the wrong increase, at the wrong time," said BCC's David Kern.

"These changes will be a barrier to job creation, and ultimately economic recovery," he said.


No wonder this is what he said anything more employers have to pay their workers is never something the rich and the boss's enjoy having to pay. This latest news is surprising to me as i was hearing rumours of the minimum wage being scrapped but i dont think they couldh ave got away with that the tories. But this just like the reinstating of a quarter of the amount of what the EMA fund was is another concession the working class have forced out of this incrediably weak government.

Although this doesnt go nearly far enough in moving towards a sliding national living wage i'm in favour of which would rise as the cost of living rose in teh country to make sure people are not left behind in the wake of the rise in living costs.

But its a start and it shows we can win back concessions from this government. They can be pushed back with sufficient pressure on them. Where the workers are united we can win things like this small rise.