United Kingdom: minimum wage to increase by 6.6%
Audio 01:12
Construction workers in Manchester, North West UK (illustrative image).
Getty Images - Reza Estakhrian
Text by: RFI Follow
2 min
In the United Kingdom, the minimum wage will drop next year from 8.91 pounds gross per hour to 9.50 pounds, or 11.26 euros.
But with soaring prices caused by supply issues and rising taxes, the joy is contained, for both employees and employers.
Reporting.
Advertising
Read more
With our correspondent in London,
Claire Digiacomi
The increase will take place in April.
It must be officially confirmed this Wednesday during the presentation of the new budget by the Minister of Finance.
The government wants to compensate for the drop in social minimums and give a boost to the youngest, hard hit by the pandemic.
Finn Oldfield is 23 years old.
He works in communication in Widnes, thirty minutes from Liverpool.
And touch the minimum wage.
He welcomes the 6.6% increase, but only expects a meager change in his income.
"
This is a small step in the right direction, but it will necessarily be absorbed by the fall in social minimums, the increase in social contributions, energy prices or even the absence of rent control,
assures us. -he.
At least it'll help me put down a deposit to find an apartment or pay my bills, but I'm afraid it's a drop in the ocean.
"
This increase is greeted with concern by the small businesses or the hotel and restaurant industry which have suffered so much from the pandemic.
For them, it's an additional expense, as Matt Dickinson of the Federation of Small Businesses explains.
“
The problem is that this increase in the minimum wage coincides with other spending hikes for employers in April.
So many companies will find it difficult not only to finance this increase in wages, but also to stay on track,
”he said.
This increase is a further step towards the economy of high wages, wanted by Boris Johnson, especially since Brexit.
►
See also: United Kingdom: companies greatly affected by the labor shortage
Newsletter
Receive all international news directly in your mailbox
I subscribe
Follow all the international news by downloading the RFI application
google-play-badge_FR
UK
Employment and Work
Economy