Under The Economic Circumstances Would You Not Say That The New National Minimum Wage Rates Are Okay?
| Related: | Lifestyle•Jobs•Working |
Fom midnight 1st October 2011 the adult rate jumps by 15p to £6.08, by 6p to £4.98 for 18- to 20-year-olds, and up by 4p to £3.68 for 16- and 17-year-olds, while the apprentice rate goes up by 10p to £2.60.
I agree that these are not spectacular rates but at least the adult rate had risen above £6 per hour for the very first time which is good progress. Let us not forget that employing someone incurs extra costs for the employer.
Responses (4)
A difficult one to give firm opinion on CS!
It has to be a balance between someone offering a job or not offering a job and the job seeker being relieved to earn some money when the option is zero money.
Earning a decent wage should be a right but alas it's not anymore. That's why we have working and child tax credits and housing and council tax benefits for the low paid. People with kids could not survive if it wasn't for tax credits.
But not every job is there to provide a decent, living wage. Many applicants are seeking second incomes, either singly or as a couple, and these minimum wage jobs can help bring much needed additional income.
WE live in austere times, of that there is no doubt, and I would much rather see a thousand minimum wage jobs available than say fifty jobs that offer too much to too few.
I am glad the minimum wages have increased but they are still a disgrace. My fiance is a fully qualified plasterer, and is having to accept £6 per hour with agency work at the moment. I doubt he will be over the moon when I tell him he is getting an extra 8p an hour.
I agree, Lana, an extra 8p is almost an insult! Thank goodness he has some work though, when so many who want work don't.
Thanks Fruitcake, although his work is on and off all the time. But yes I know a lot of people who can't get work at all. I have had problems myself since September.
Complete joke how can they say the average wage is over £20,000 pa when you got employers taken the micky with the rate going just up2 £6.08 MP's want to get in the real world, how you supposed to live on these rates.
I'd love to see how the MP's got on if they lived on the basic rate of £6.08 for a month. They wouldn't be able to
last a week never mind a month. They don't live in the
real world like we do and have to look at our pennies and decide which item takes priority.
You are absolutely right shell62. I have heard the current average wage in this country is £25,900pa which I calculate equates to £12.45 an hour. That can only make me conclude that people desperate for work are never going to get anywhere near that 'average wage' unless they have a lot to offer an employer in experience and income generating knowledge and ability.
But we do have to look at minimum wage jobs as at least employment for some. Frankly, I think the days of glamorous jobs, buckets of perks, company cars and business lunches are over ... at least for the masses anyway!
Re the 'glamorous jobs, buckets of perks, company cars and business lunches'...many of us won't miss them as we never had them in the first place.
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My, my, Snoops, you're waxing eloquent tonight! Yet again, you've said it all in your last sentence. :-)
Succinct and to the point as usual Snoopy.
Yes it's good it is over £6 an hour and that people are
in employment but I expect they will have to work many hour's extra if they are to survive on that amount. A forty hour week would give them £240 not a great amount if
they have a mortgage and a family to support but I hope
they would be entitled to some benefits because let's face
it there are millions out there doing s.d all and sitting
back in their easy chairs whilst getting every benefit they
can lay their hands on while these people work their butts off to survive.
Granted the minimum wage isn't much but I'd rather have that than nothing Snoopy