Largest increase to the minimum wage announced
The government has announced substantial increases to the national living wage (NLW) and national minimum wage (NMW) rates from 1 April 2024, and a key change for workers aged 21 and 22. What are the new rates going to be and what is the key change?

Accepting the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission in full, the government has confirmed that it will be increasing the NLW and NMW rates from 1 April 2024 as follows:
- the NLW rate will rise by 9.8% from £10.42 to £11.44 per hour - this rate currently applies to workers aged 23 and over but it will be extended to also apply to 21 and 22 year olds from 1 April 2024
- the NMW rate for workers aged 18 to 20 will rise by 14.8% from £7.49 to £8.60 per hour
- the NMW rate for workers aged 16 and 17 will rise by 21.2% from £5.28 to £6.40 per hour
- the NMW rate for apprentices aged under 19, or those aged 19 and over but in the first year of their apprenticeship, will rise by 21.2% from £5.28 to £6.40 per hour
- the daily offset for the provision of living accommodation to a worker will rise by 9.8% from £9.10 to £9.99 per day.
Related Topics
-
HMRC’s new compliance check service
HMRC has published a collection of videos and notes to help if you’re picked for a compliance check. Is HMRC’s new service worth a look or is it just official propaganda?
-
Income sharing trouble for separated couple
After a couple separated one spouse received income from letting the property she jointly owned with her estranged spouse. HMRC taxed all the income on her. Was it right to do so or should her spouse have been taxed on half the income?
-
How to handle workers aiming to "Slide Away" to an Oasis Concert
The Oasis Live ’25 UK reunion tour starts in Cardiff on 4 July 2025 and concludes in London on 28 September 2025. With ticketless fans keen on obtaining last-minute tickets and ticketed fans eager to get to the gig for when the gates open, this could have an impact on staff productivity and timekeeping. How can you tackle these issues?