UK moves to scrap ‘discriminatory’ age-based wage rates

This led to a record cash increase in the Minimum Wage for apprentices and those under 18, as well as a £1,400 annual boost for full-time workers on the National Living Wage from April.

“We have already taken bold action to Make Work Pay with more than three million workers seeing a huge boost in their pay following our increase to National Minimum and Living Wage,” Rayner said.

This year, the government asked the LPC to continue taking into account the cost of living, as well as the inflation forecasts between April 2026 and April 2027.

“This remit is the next milestone in our plan to get more money in working people’s pockets, raise living standards in every part of the UK, and get our economy growing,” the deputy prime minister added.