Eric Joyce

Labour Party | Falkirk

Local MP welcomes increase in National Minimum Wage

Falkirk MP, Eric Joyce, has welcomed today’s announcement that the Government will increase the National Minimum Wage (NMW) to £5.52 in October this year.

The rise is in line with the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission and will take the minimum wage from its current £5.35 per hour to £5.52 per hour for workers aged 22 and over. The rate for 18-21 year olds will rise from £4.45 to £4.60 per hour and the hourly rate for 16-17 year olds will increase to £3.40 from £3.30.

The latest increase is estimated to benefit more than 1million UK workers (circa 110,000 workers in Scotland), with around two-thirds of beneficiaries being low paid women, from October onwards.

Speaking today, Eric Joyce MP said

‘The National Minimum Wage, introduced by this Labour Government in April 1999, is helping thousands of low paid workers throughout Scotland and hundreds here in Falkirk.

Some 1,600 or so people locally will be benefiting again from this significant increase, many of them women and part-time workers, and I’m sure they’ll be pleased to learn that there’s a definite pay increase coming their way in a few months time.’