Minimum Wage

This means that rates of pay will increase as follows:

• Workers aged 22 and over will increase from £5.52 to £5.73 per hour
• Workers aged 18-21 will increase from £4.60 to £4.77 per hour
• Workers aged 16 and 17 will increase from £3.40 to £3.53 per hour

Employers are required by law to ensure that all workers are paid the national minimum wage and they should keep records to prove this. If an employer refuses to pay the national minimum wage they could face a criminal prosecution and face a fine. Employers could also be made to pay arrears to the worker and any dismissal for refusing to pay the minimum wage is likely to be unfair.

All workers, agency workers, agricultural workers, home workers, piece workers and commission workers are entitled to receive the minimum wage.

The self employed, company directors without a contract of employment, students doing work experience as part of an educational course, people living and working within the family home, voluntary workers and members of the armed forces are not automatically entitled to the national minimum wage.

Apprentices who are under 19 and those aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship are also exempt from the national minimum wage.

If you have any queries regarding the national minimum wage please contact a member of the Employment Team at Ascot Lawyers on 0845 300 3574.