The government has approved the rise from October that will see more than a million people getting a pay increase of up to £355 a year.
Tessa Munt’s boss, Business Secretary Vince Cable, has accepted in full the independent Low Pay Commission’s recommendations for 2014, including plans for bigger increases in future than in recent years.
Burnham’s MP Tessa Munt said: “A worker on the adult minimum wage rate working a 36-hour week, 52 weeks a year would receive £355 a year more in their pay packet under the new £6.50 per hour minimum wage rate as of October.”
“I’m delighted that Vince has made this principled and positive decision which will benefit those people who work hard, often go un-thanked, but who we all rely upon every day.”
The National Minimum Wage rates from 1st October 2014 will be: a 19p (3%) increase in the adult rate (from £6.31 to £6.50 per hour); a 10p (2%) increase in the rate for 18-20 year olds (from £5.03 to £5.13 per hour); a 7p (2%) increase in the rate for 16-17 year olds (from £3.72 to £3.79 per hour) and a 5p (2%) increase in the rate for apprentices (from £2.68 to £2.73 per hour).
The Low Pay Commission has said the rise, the first real terms cash increase since 2008, has welcomed the news.
