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Minimum wage rise agreed

Minimum wage rise agreed

The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) today announced a rise in the minimum wage to £5.73 from 1st October 2008.

Commenting on the rise Anne Fairweather, Head of Public Policy at the REC said “REC will ensure that recruiters are aware of this rise through our news and legal channels.  As a member of BERR’s Vulnerable Workers Enforcement Forum we are also keen to see that workers are aware of the changes.  It is in the interests of good recruitment companies as well as workers that everyone is paid the correct rate.  However some workers are not confident enough to complain about their treatment.  One way to remedy this situation is to encourage good recruiters to report employers that they suspect are not paying the minimum wage.”

The Government is introducing new legislation which will raise the fine levels for employers who are not compliant.  REC is supportive this new legislation which should improve enforcement of the rules.

Further information:

Details about where to report employers who are suspected not to be paying the minimum wage are available at: http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nmw/#e

 From 1 October 2008 the adult rate will increase from £5.52 per hour to £5.73.  The 18-21 year old rate will increase from £4.60 to £4.77 and the 16-17 year old rate will increase from £3.40 to £3.53.  The accommodation offset will increase from £4.30 per day to £4.46 per day.