Your Life

Minimum Wage

Connexions has produced a leaflet full of info on starting work:
Starting Work Leaflet 2009

There is a right to a national minimum wage, which covers almost all workers in the UK. There are actually three levels of minimum wage.

The rates from 1st October 2009 are:

  • £5.80 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older.
  • £4.83 per hour for workers aged 18 - 21.
  • £3.57 per hour for all 16 year olds who are no longer of compulsory school age, and for all 17 year olds. In Suffolk, you have not officially left school until the last Friday in June in Year 11.

If you start an Apprenticeship at the age of 18, then for your first year the rate of £4.83 will not apply.

The rates from 1st October 2010 are:

  • £5.93 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older.
  • £4.92 per hour for workers aged 18 - 21.
  • £3.64 per hour for workers aged under 18 and who are no longer of compulsory school age. In Suffolk, you have not officially left school until the last Friday in June in Year 11.

If you start an Apprenticeship at the age of 18, then for your first year the rate of £4.92 will not apply.

For further information visit www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/TheNationalMinimumWage/DG_10027201 or call the Pay and Work Rights Helpline on 0800 9172368.