For pay reference periods (PRPs) beginning on or after 1st October 2010, employers will have to pay all eligible workers the following:
- £5.93 an hour to workers aged 21 and above ('the main rate');
- £4.92 an hour to workers aged 18-20;
- £3.64 an hour to workers aged below 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age.
It's important to note that the age threshold for the main rate is going to fall from 22 (as it is currently) to 21.
New Entitlement to the NMW for Apprentices
For PRPs beginning on or after 1st October 2010, employers will have to pay at least £2.50 an hour to apprentices who are:
- under the age of 19;
- aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship.
Currently such apprentices are not entitled to the NMW.
To qualify to receive the NMW, the apprentice must either:
- work under a contract of apprenticeship; or
- be employed on a government-funded training scheme that is treated as an apprenticeship for NMW purposes.
These schemes include: Apprenticeships and Advanced Apprenticeships.
Employers will also be able to offset an amount of £4.61 per day from the NMW for each day that a worker is provided with living accommodation.
Further Information
EMB Ltd
To access free National minimum wage regulation information and advice, contact Business Link East Midlands on 0845 058 6644, email info@businesslinkem.co.uk or visit www.businesslink.gov.uk/eastmidlands/nmw.
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EMB Ltd is the organisation responsible for delivering the Business Link advisory service across the East Midlands.
The Pay and Work Rights Line
The Pay and Work Rights line brings together five different helpline services relating to employment rights that are directly enforced by government. So in addition to dealing with queries and problems concerning the National Minimum Wage, it also handles queries about:
- the Agricultural Minimum Wage
- the right not to have to work more than 48 hours a week on average without the consent of the worker
- working for an employment agency
- working for a gangmaster (in the agriculture and food processing sectors):
The helpline – which is a free phone number - is aimed at both workers and employers. Operators are trained to provide information and advice about these aspects of employment law. In addition, where there is a potential abuse requiring further investigation, it will refer cases to one or more of the government enforcement bodies that stand behind the helpline.
You can contact the Pay and Work Rights Line by calling 0800 917 2368 or by visiting http://payandworkrightscampaign.direct.gov.uk/index.html.
