Legal Update
National Minimum Wage - October 2011
From October 1st 2011. You must ensure that you pay the appropriate minimum wage to all groups of staff. The new rates are shown below:
- £6.08 for workers aged age 21 and over
- £4.98 for workers aged 18 years to 20 years
- £3.68 for workers aged 16 and 17 year olds
- £2.20 for an apprentice aged 18 or under
- £2.20 for an apprentice aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship
SMP, SAP, SPP, SSP Rates - April 2011
From 3rd April the following figures are applicable:
SMP (Statutory Maternity Pay) is 90% of average weekly earnings for first 6 weeks and £128.73 or 90% of average weekly earnings if this is lower.
SAP (Statutory Adoption Pay) is £128.73 or 90% of average weekly earnings if this is lower.
SPP (Statutory Paternity Pay) is £128.73 or 90% of average weekly earnings if this is lower.
From 6th April:
SSP (Statutory Sick Pay) is £81.60 per week.
National Minimum Wage - October 2010
From October 1st 2010. You must ensure that you pay the appropriate minimum wage to all groups of staff. The new rates are shown below:
- £5.93 for workers aged age 21 and over
- £4.92 for workers aged 18 years to 20 years
- £3.64 for workers aged 16 and 17 year olds
Please note that the adult minimum wage will also apply to 21-year-olds from October 2010.
Where you have workers under the age of 21 you should put a mechanism in place to ensure you increase their wages at the appropriate date where their birthday falls after the implementation date in October.
Remember if you are in a service industry where tips, gratuities and service or cover charges are the norm these monies are not counted as part of the minimum wage.
You should also note that the minimum wage for an apprentice will be £2.50 per hour. The new rate will apply to all apprentices under 19 and for the first year of the apprenticeship where the worker is aged 19 or over.
National Minimum Wage - October 2009
The current rate (effective from 1st October 2009) are:
- £5.80 for workers aged 22 years and over
- £4.83 for workers aged 18 to 21 years
- £3.57 for workers aged 16 to 17 years
The national minimum wage is the total pay received by the worker, before deductions e.g. tax and national insurance contributions.
From 1st October 2009 tips, gratuities, service charges and cover charges do not count towards the national minimum wage, irrespective of how they are paid.
