Minimum Wage UK
Minimum wage rates are increased
More than a million UK workers receive pay increases as new minimum wage rates come into force.
Ref. https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7021247.stm
I don't think that the rise of 16 and 17 pence per hour is that great, whereas the annual days holiday allowance has risen quite significantly, from 21 days to 24, and to rise again in 2009 to 28 days per year is really good, I feel.
That's a really good incentive for people to work the 5 day week.
International Level: Activist / Political Participation: 29 2.9%
At the moment, a 16-17 year old can expect to get £3.30, rising up to £3.40 with the new rate in force (that's around $6.50 US)
An 18-21 year old at present can expect £4.44 rising to £4.60 (around $8.75 US)
An adult over the age of 21 at present can expect minimum pay of £5.35, rising to £5.52 upwards under the new ruling (around $10.75 US)
Most of these rates would apply to maybe manual work like factory work, or restaurant work etc, however there are plenty of jobs out there which could be paid more, but because bosses don't have to-they won't.
As there are many immigrants into the UK, people know that if they don't take the minimum wage jobs, there are other people out there who will, and I think basically that's why the UK government brought these ruling in the first place to safeguard from bad companies paying "slave wages". This way at least, everybody knows the minimum that is expected of them.
International Level: Activist / Political Participation: 29 2.9%
5.52 Pounds.
That is about 11.30 dollars.
It seems high to me, but I live in an agricultural area where there is alot of farm jobs.
America's Minimum Wage is $5.85 (2.87 pounds)
I wonder why there is such a difference?
International Level: Politician / Political Participation: 109 10.9%
It's because of the cost of living in the UK that the pay is higher than the US. The food is more expensive, gas for your car is nearly double, you have to pay for household water that you use, you have to pay a council tax to your local authority, which in most areas is a minimum of £100/$196US per month rising to hundreds per month depending on where you live. On top of this, you have a road tax to pay on your car of just short of £200 per year/nearly $400 US, then you have your high payment of car insurance to pay which averages around £700 per year for an over 21 year old, and well over £2000/$3800 for an under 21 year old! When you take into account a higher price to pay for your heating/gas/electric costs, even on a good wage,before you've even found somewhere to live you've got to have an earned quite a good amount of money!
(The average rented housing costs over £500 per month!)
Take all this into account, and you can see why the government has had to bring in these new rulings!
International Level: Activist / Political Participation: 29 2.9%
When I was on my mission in 1991 they told us that of all the places they had to maintain missionaries there were two places that were just unbelievably expensive and that was Japan and the UK. I think it was like 2000-2500 pounds per person per month! I can only imagine it is more than that considering the inflation rates around the world.
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