Minimum wage rates are being increased. According to a report by The Times, the rate is expected to rise by 3.9% to £13.20 per hour. The rate for those under 18 is lower. The Times also reported that the National Minimum Wage for 18-to-20-year-olds is likely to increase by 3.9%, from £10.85 to approximately £11.27 per hour.
The government has finally taken notice and raised minimum wage rates by 3.9%; however, major corporations such as Tesco, Lidl, and Sainsbury’s were already paying hourly wages exceeding £13. While some companies, like McDonald’s, have resisted paying more than the statutory minimum, most large firms had already surpassed the government’s previous hourly rate of £12.07—effectively reaching the new, increased level well before this announcement. Lidl, for instance, currently pays its staff £14.85 per hour.
In short, the government is lagging far behind the private sector. During the pandemic, observing the absurdities of Boris Johnson’s administration, we remarked: “Take the country out of the hands of politicians and hand it over to the CEOs of retail giants like Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Lidl, and Aldi—they would manage the nation far better. After all, they have a much firmer grasp of the country’s realities than the politicians do.”
We stand by that view today.