Government says Minimum Wage rise a boon for region's workers

By Barrie Hudson - 29 April 2025

CommunityPolitics
  • Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders

    Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders

The Government says up to 300,000 workers in the South West have started to receive boosted payslips as new National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage rates take effect.

The changes, the Government says, will help provide families with better financial stability and living standards, delivering real terms pay increase of £1,400 per year for eligible full-time workers, supporting the Government’s plan to kickstart growth as part of the Plan for Change.  

This uplift is aimed at delivering better financial security for working people and allowing for further workers to potentially benefit from positive spill-over impacts including possible wage increases for those already earning more than the legal minimum.  

Employment Rights Minister Justin Madders said: “Workers across the country are beginning to receive the much-needed boost to their pay slips, as our Plan for Change is putting more money into their pockets.  

“By ensuring a hard day’s work is rewarded with a fair day’s pay, we’re raising living standards millions of families and ensuring that everyone is a part of this government’s mission to deliver economic growth to every part of the UK.  

“If you haven’t already, check your pay to ensure you aren’t missing out on a well-deserved pay rise for work done from 1st April.” 

To ensure workers were fairly compensated, for the first time this Government instructed the Low Pay Commission, the body which recommends the wage rates, to include the cost of living and inflation in its assessment.   

On top of this, the Government says, the Employment Rights Bill, a key pillar in the Plan to Make Work Pay, will release an additional £600 a year to some of the lowest paid workers. This will ensure that these workers get receive an uplift to wages that delivers better quality of life.   

Further information can be found at gov.uk/checkyourpay 

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