How does the minimum wage impact you? UK Low Pay Commission visits Newport and Gloucester

2013-09-20

UK Low Pay Commission (LPC) whose purpose is to provide advice to the Government on matters relating to the minimum wage, apprentice and youth rates is visiting Gloucester and Newport on 3rd and 4th October.

Kay Carberry, Peter Donaldson, Neil Goulden and Professor Stephen Machin would like to meet a number of representatives in and around the Newport and Gloucester to hear first hand what impact the National Minimum Wage is having in these areas.

Peter Donaldson LPC Commissioner said “Listening and understanding the impact the minimum wage has in different regions across the UK and in different business areas is vital to our research and informs our recommendations to the Government.

“We are keen to understand the impact the minimum wage and youth and apprentice rates have in the Newport and Gloucester areas and to meet with those affected”.

This is one of a number of visits the Low Pay Commission is making around the UK during 2013 to gather information on how the minimum wage is operating and the impact it has on businesses and employers. Each visit informs the annual report which is submitted to the Government in Spring 2014.

Notes to Editors

1. The Low Pay Commission is a statutory body whose role is to advise the Government on the National Minimum Wage.

2. The Commission has produced fourteen reports. These are available from the Stationery Office Bookshops or the Commission’s website at: http://www.lowpay.gov.uk

3. The members of the Low Pay Commission are: David Norgrove (Chair), Deputy Chairman of the British Museum and a member of the Finance Committee for Amnesty International UK; Susan Anderson, a consultant to the CBI on employment issues and a member of ACAS Council; Peter Donaldson, Managing Director of D5 Limited; Professor Bob Elliott, Professor of Economics and Director of the Health Economics Research Unit at the University of Aberdeen; Neil Goulden, Chairman (emeritus), The Gala Coral Group; John Hannett, General Secretary of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers; Professor Stephen Machin, Professor of Economics at University College London; Kay Carberry, Assistant General Secretary of the TUC and Heather Wakefield, Head of Local Government, UNISON.

4. The National Minimum Wage for those aged 21 and over is £6.19 per hour. For those aged 18 to 20 the rate is £4.98 per hour. The minimum wage for 16 and 17 year olds is £3.68 an hour. The Apprentice Minimum Wage is £2.65 per hour for those aged under 19 or in the first year of their apprenticeship.

source: UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills