Millions of workers are about to get an increase in their wages. The National Living Wage for people over the age of 23 is going up by 9.7%, while workers aged between 21 and 22 are set to get a bigger boost of 10.9% in their National Minimum Wage.
The changes come into force on Saturday (April 1). So how much cash will you receive and what are your rights as an employee?
And what action can you take if you suspect your employer is not paying you the right amount? To guide you through the changes, Katie Ash, head of employment law at Banner Jones, has offered some advice, reports BirminghamLive.
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She said: "The National Minimum Wage is the minimum pay per hour almost all workers are entitled to. It is the same across all parts of the UK and must be paid by every single business, in every single sector, regardless of size.
"This includes casual workers, people on zero-hours contracts and agency workers, so don't let anyone tell you the rules don't apply to you. However, the amount that each employee receives can vary depending on age and if they are an apprentice."
The new minimum wage levels
From April 1, 2023, the increases will be:
- National Living Wage for over-23s - going up from £9.50 to £10.42 an hour
- National Minimum Wage for those aged 21-22 - going up from £9.18 to £10.18 an hour
- National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds - going up from £6.83 to £7.49 an hour
- National Minimum Wage for under-18s - going up from £4.81 to £5.28 an hour
- The Apprentice rate - going up from £4.81 to £5.28 an hour
You can use the minimum wage calculator to check whether the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage is being paid at the gov.uk website. Ms Ash added: "The variations in wages mean that while most businesses take steps to ensure that workers are paid correctly, it's not uncommon for companies to make mistakes that could mean that their employees do not receive the wages they are entitled to.
"Staff that operate on shifts and seasonal workers are particularly vulnerable to miscalculations, and errors are often made when a worker moves up an age band or completes an apprenticeship. Any employer found not to be paying the minimum wage can be fined by the UK tax authority, HMRC, and workers are encouraged to log a complaint with HMRC if they feel they are being underpaid."
Ms Ash added that if you're not getting the minimum wage when you should be, your employer owes you the difference between what you should have been paid and what they've actually been paying you. "If there is a discrepancy, speak to your line manager or HR department in the first instance, and ask them to explain how they've worked out your pay, and to tell you why they think you're not entitled to be paid minimum wage - or why they think you’re already getting it," she advised.
"If this doesn't sort the issue out, you are entitled to raise a grievance, and if that still doesn't result in a positive outcome you may want to consider legal action." Independent body the Low Pay Commission said that employers and unions had both agreed that minimum pay needed a big increase this year to match soaring inflation. It said the gap between pay increases and price rises is the highest for decades so a real-terms increase is "critical to protect the living standards of the lowest-paid at a time of crisis".
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