National minimum wage 2011

The national minimum wage came into force in April 1999. More than one decade on, the principle of a statutory pay floor is now widely accepted, although debate continues as to its level, the age of employees to be covered, and the method and outcome of the uprating process.

On this page:
Median hourly wage above the minimum
Chart 1: Minimum hourly pay rates for adults
Pay floor too low?
Development rates
Chart 2: Minimum hourly pay rates for 18- to 20-year-olds
Young workers
Chart 3: Minimum hourly pay rates for 16- and 17-year-olds
Apprentices
Minimum wage in retrospect
Support for regional differentials
Raising the pay floor 
Enforcement of minimum wage
Our research
Table 1: The national minimum wage - historic levels
Table 2: Level of employer support for the minimum wage rates, 2009 and 2010
Box 1: USDAW's view
Box 2: The Low Pay Commission
Additional resources on XpertHR.