Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
Business
David Bentley & Sonia Sharma

New National Living Wage and Minimum Wage levels - here's what you'll get from next week

Scores of workers will see an increase in their wages from next week.

The National Living Wage for people over the age of 23 is rising 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 are coming into force on April 1, 2023.

So how much money 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?

Read More: Fan of consumer guru Martin Lewis was able to get £1,335 free cash - here's how

To guide you through the changes, Katie Ash, head of employment law at Banner Jones, has offered some advice, reports BirminghamLive. She explained: "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."

What are 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 here. 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 adds 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 says 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."

To get the latest money news direct to your inbox, click here

Read Next:

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.