Minimum wage to rise by 3.8%
Britain’s minimum wage is set to rise by 3.8 per cent from October 2008, in line with the increase in average earnings but below prevailing retail price inflation.
Business leaders had been worried that a rise above inflation would cost jobs in sectors such as hotels, catering and retail.
The increase means that the adult minimum wage will rise from £5.52 to £5.73 an hour.
Since its introduction in April 1999, the UK’s adult minimum wage rate has risen by 59 per cent, more than twice the increase in the retail price index over the same period, and is the third highest out of 20 EU nations.
