Minimum Wage Increase April 2021

The UK Government has announced that the National Living Wage (the minimum wage for over 23s) is to increase by 2.18% in April 2021. 

This means that a 23-year-old working 40 hours a week will have a salary of approximately £18,532.8 a year, or £8.91 an hour.  

A major change though is that the National Living Wage threshold is being reduced from 25 to 23 year, meaning a 23-year-old could see a 8.6% increase in pay.  

With a large number of private sector employers struggling at the moment, finding such a large increase to their wage bill could be devastating. We hope it doesn’t lead to mass redundancy amongst this age group.  

Summary of changes 

Date 

25 and over 

23-24 

21 to 22s 

18 to 20s 

Under 18s 

Apprentices 

April 2021 

£8.91 

£8.91 

£8.36 

£6.56 

£4.62 

£4.3 

April 2020 (current rate) 

£8.72 

£8.20 

£8.20 

£6.45 

£4.55 

£4.15 

Difference (%) 

2.18 

8.66 

1.95 

1.71 

1.54 

3.61 

Table of minimum pay from Gov.UK 

As the government is running the Kickstarter scheme for 18-24 year olds, paying 25 hours at the appropriate minimum wage a week, it will be interesting if employers particularly target 23 to 24 year olds due to the increased subsidiary. 25 hours a week at the appropriate rate for a 23 or 24 year equates to £5791 pay over the 6 month period a business will get the grant for. 

Below are a list of jobs which are typically paid at the National Minimum Wage which should expect an increase: 

  • Warehouse Operative 
  • Cleaner 
  • Security Guard 
  • Shop Assistant 
  • Food Preparation Worker 
  • Customer Service 
  • Receptionist 
  • Order Filler 


About the Author: Daniel Aldridge

Daniel is driven by the conviction that comprehensive salary data should be accessible to everyone, ensuring empowered and informed career decisions at every stage. From fresh graduates to those contemplating a job switch or relocation, Daniel advocates for arming individuals with this vital knowledge to foster smarter choices.



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