Getting paid is obviously one big perk of having a job.
Yes, you may get good training, the pension might be decent, and you get on well with your colleagues, but the money you make goes on to keep a roof over your head and pay your bills.
So, it’s great when there’s a new minimum wage rise.
The new minimum wage will increase the pay of over two million workers and will go up from 6 April.
Anyone over 25 will get an extra 4.9% per hour from April 2019 and will get £8.21 an hour.
It’s also going up by 32p per hour to £7.70 for 21-24-year-olds.
What is the current National Minimum Wage?
The National Minimum Wage (NMW) is the absolute lowest amount that you can get paid for the work you do.
It doesn’t matter if you’re the only person who works for a company or your employer has hundreds of people working there, they still need to pay the correct amounts.
Anyone over school leaving age can get NMW. It doesn’t matter if you work part-time, full-time, are on a zero hours contracts, are an agency worker or are on probation.
The minimum wage up to 6 April 2019 is:
- £7.83 per hour – 25 years+
- £7.38 per hour – 21-24 years
- £5.90 per hour – 18-20 years
- £4.20 per hour – under 18
- £3.70 per hour – apprentices
Apprentice pay only applies if you’re under 19 or if you’re over 19 years old and on the first year of your apprenticeship.
What is National Living Wage?
The National Living Wage is the absolute minimum you can get paid for workers who are over 25 years old.
It was introduced in 2016, but don’t get it confused with the Real Living Wage.
What is the REAL Living Wage?
The national minimum wage is what the government say you should get if you’re under 24, the national living wage is what the government say you should get if you’re over 25, but there is also a Real Living Wage.
The Real Living Wage is calculated by the Living Wage Foundation and is a rate based on what you really need to get by.
They calculate that the pay rate for anyone 18+ should be £9 per hour across the UK, but a higher £10.55 in London where the cost of living is far higher.
Not every employer will match this, but there are over 4,700 employers who are accredited Living Wage employers. You know that you’ll get paid fairly if you work for one of them.
What is the National Minimum Wage 2019?
It all depends on how old you are and what kind of work you’re doing, but pay will rise for all workers from 6 April 2019.
The new 2019 rates of minimum pay are:
- £8.21 per hour – 25 years+
- £7.70 per hour – 21-24 years
- £6.15 per hour – 18-20 years
- £4.35 per hour – under 18
- £3.90 per hour – apprentices
Remember that apprentice pay only applies while you’re under 19 or if you’re over 19 years old and on the first year of your apprenticeship.
This handy calculator can check if you’re being paid correctly.
You’re also able to use the calculator to check if your employer owes you any past payments for the last six years.
Not been paid enough?
Checked your pay slips and you’re being paid less than you should for your age?
Sorry to hear that!
You are entitled by law to be paid correctly and to recover past payments.
You can first approach your employer to resolve it informally first. If that doesn’t work then put it in writing and raise a formal grievance next.
If you need more support, it’s best to contact the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100 (open Monday to Friday, 8 am to 6 pm). They will be able to give you employment advice to help take things further and support you.
Will you notice it?
Since April 2016, someone working full time on the minimum wage would have seen an increase in pay by over £2,750 in annual earnings.
Do you think you have that spare?
Our council tax is going up £58 a year from April 2019 as our council have agreed a 5% increase in our rates. Thank you very much!
No matter how much we try and juggle things, the gas and electric bill keeps creeping up too, and fuel prices don’t seem to go down too much.
Sure, it’s great that pay goes up, and while I’m not suggesting it’s a bad thing, I think it’ll quickly be offset against all other bills.
Read next:
10 Places to Keep Your Money That’s Not a Bank
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Naomi knows the burden of living on very little and became debt free by learning from past mistakes and following her own money saving tips and tricks.
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