Farmers to have their say on NMW rates
Two years ago the Government took the decision to abolish the Agricultural Wage Board and instead place the agricultural and horticultural sectors in England under the National Minimum Wage.
As part of this transition the National Farmers Union (NFU) has been invited to submit evidence to the Low Pay Commission regarding the NMW in the farming sector.
The UK currently has four NMW rates, which change annually for all workers they are as follows from October 2015:
- Adult Rate (for those aged 21 and over): £6.70 per hour
- Youth Development Rate (for those aged 18-20): £5.30 per hour
- 16-17 Year Old Rate: £3.87 per hour
- Apprentice Rate: £3.30 per hour
Next year the Government also intends to introduce the National Living Wage, which will create a new mandatory rate for all workers over the age of 25. The new rate will apply from April 2016 and will see those eligible initially receive £7.20 per hour, rising to more than £9 an hour by 2020.
The LPC has been asked to gather evidence on the existing rates and initial evidence on the potential impact of the NLW.
The NFU will be formally responding to the consultation on behalf of members. If you would like to comment on the consultation, please contact Anand Dossa at Anand.Dossa@nfu.org.uk by 18 September 2015.