Minimum Wage

[#1]

The minimum wage is set to rise from £7,20 to £9.00 by 2020.
Is this a good thing for those on the minimum wage ?
No doubt some employers will reduce their work force and others will charge more for services so any increases to workers on the minimum wage will simply be paid by those workers in increased costs ?

[#2]

Meanwhile my son as an 18 year-old (so technically an adult) apprentice is deemed adequately paid at £3.30/hour (this minimum applies to ALL apprentices under 19 years of age and ALL in their first year of apprenticeship regardless of age).

[#3]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/03/31/the-living-wage-could-make-port-talbot-look-like-a-drop-i...
It seem that the idea stolen from Ed Milliband will cause vast job losses and won't benefit the lowest paid. The latter will just get less in work benefits the main beneficiaries will be the second earners and spouses in wealthy families. 

[#4]

Quote from: w23

Meanwhile my son as an 18 year-old (so technically an adult) apprentice is deemed adequately paid at £3.30/hour (this minimum applies to ALL apprentices under 19 years of age and ALL in their first year of apprenticeship regardless of age).

Are you serious, as I do know what day it is. If that's correct then I'm astounded! How on earth is anyone expected to live on that.

[#5]

Yep!
https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide/pay-and-conditions

Quote

The current minimum wage rate for an apprentice is £3.30 per hour.

[#6]

it's an apprenticeship, they are not full-time working employees.
they are essentially at college with on the job training.
they come out at the end with qualifications AND work experience, that is suitable payment IMO.

[#7]

Yeah, I appreciate that, so how many hours per week does an apprentice get paid for then? I assume they will get travel and foods costs over and above this as well?

[#8]

He works 30 hours (that's all they give him), he gets NO contribution towards travel*, lunches or anything else (except he's provided with a uniform (that he's expected to keep washed)).
This is high street retail sector and he does the same work as others who have been there for years (training consists - so far- of a few minutes 'monkey see - monkey do' - he got far more training at McDonalds where he worked for a short time NOT as an apprentice).
*A day bus ticket locally (cheaper than two 'singles') costs him £3.50 (going up soon too) out of the 6 hours pay (£19.80) for that day - for a couple of miles journey into town.

[#9]

Quote from: w23

*A day bus ticket locally (cheaper than two 'singles') costs him £3.50 (going up soon too) out of the 6 hours pay (£19.80) for that day - for a couple of miles journey into town.

This is exactly why I find the whole thing incredulous. OK, it may be worth while in the long run but that level of compensation is enough to put many off. The fact that your son is doing this says a lot about him in my book so good luck to him I say.

[#10]

When I did an apprenticeship that is how it was back in the 1985 w23, I was full time and paid £24 a week and travel cost me £12 or 15 I think a week, plus I had to pay for food and pay my mum rent.  Its paid education.

[#11]

When I was a 15 year old apprentice in 1962 I was paid £2/5/9 (£2.28), rising to £3/3/0 (£3.15) at age 16, a WEEK!
Adult pay was around £12 to £14 a week.

[#12]

@NedLudd
But 'you could take your girl out to the cinema, buy a half of mild in the local pub, get a bag of chips and 10 Woodbine on the way to the bus stop, catch the last bus home and still have change from a ha'penny' couldn't you? 

[#13]

@NedLudd,
Yes I was an apprentice around the same time as you and the wages were similar to what you quote except for those who had completed their apprentships as they got a Bonus for completing a job in a specific time along with the chance of overtime and extra pay for weekends and working at night.
Virtually all of my money, under £4 a week was given to my mother as we were a single parent family which was more unusual in those days.
One interesting factor about the minimum wage is that it only applies to those age 25 and over, so those below that age will find cost of things rising but less increases in their pay packets.

[#14]

Quote from: w23

@NedLudd But 'you could take your girl out to the cinema, buy a half of mild in the local pub, get a bag of chips and 10 Woodbine on the way to the bus stop, catch the last bus home and still have change from a ha'penny' couldn't you?

Perhaps he could but I couldn't !

These days I could but no longer want to.

[#15]

don't you know we under a tory government!!!!!!  mind boggles!........meaning they don't want us to benefit from anything.....unless it lines their pockets!