The national minimum wage 10 years on: employers' views

It is nearly a decade since the national minimum wage was introduced. IRS has carried out a survey to gauge employers' views of the minimum wage and its impact on their businesses.

On this page:
Current levels of the minimum wage
Current minimum rates of pay
Minimum rates for adult workers
Chart 1: Minimum adult hourly pay rates, 1 October 2008
Minimum rates for 18- to 21-year-olds
Chart 2: Minimum hourly rates paid to 18- to 21-year-olds
Minimum rates for 16- and 17-year olds
Chart 3: Minimum hourly rates paid to 16- and 17-year-olds
Apprentice pay
Response to the 2008 uprating
Support for the current rates of the national minimum wage
What should the current national minimum wage rates be?
What factors should affect national minimum wage rates?
Experience of the national minimum wage
Chart 4: Employers' experience of the national minimum wage
Differentials are still the main issue
Employer image
Chart 5: The impact of the national minimum wage
Performance pay
Is the national minimum wage increase seen as a benchmark?
Little impact on the bottom line
Minimum burden on payroll administration
Overall impact of the national minimum wage
Setting future national minimum wage rates
Our research
Table 1: National minimum wage rates since its introduction
Table 2: Direct responses to the October 2008 national minimum wage uprating
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