‘Equal pay for equal work’: Should minimum wage be cut for younger workers?

The payslips of young people working their first jobs in cafes or shops have become an unlikely battleground in British politics.

On the one hand, the Labour government has a manifesto commitment to bring minimum wage for all adults to the same level – which would mean a significant boost for 18 to 20-year-olds.

On Tuesday, the Times reported this move was set to be delayed over concerns about the difficulties young people face in finding a job. Youth unemployment hit 16.1% at the end of last year.

Sir Keir Starmer said today his government would ‘keep to those commitments’ from the manifesto, but did not say how soon equalised pay would happen.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves also dodged questions this morning about whether the plans were being pushed back.

Meanwhile, on the other hand, Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has wondered aloud whether minimum wage for young people should in fact be cut.

On Monday, the party’s deputy leader Richard Tice did not rule out such a cut in an interview with LBC and suggested businesses were not employing young people out of concern for rising salaries.

Farage confirmed he was considering the move at a news conference yesterday, saying there is ‘an argument that minimum wage is too high for younger workers’.

He called for Reeves to ‘do one or the other – either lift the cap at which NI is due, or lower the minimum wage for younger workers’.

We asked Metro readers what they thought about this idea – here’s what you said.

‘Bills aren’t cheaper based on age’

Many of the readers who attracted the most favourable reactions on our social media post were critical of Reform’s proposals to lower the minimum wage for young people.

John Lowe backed Labour’s approach, writing: ‘If anything it should be equalised across all ages, equal pay for equal work.’

Tracie Bray added: ‘When my daughter started work she was on the lower rate wage.

‘She was doing the same work as an older colleague for less money – how is that fair?’

And Rusty Richards argued: ‘If your business model relies on you paying people so little that their parents or the state have to subsidised them, then you deserve to go under.’

Liane Bond said: ‘Not all of the [young people] live at home and bills/rent aren’t cheaper based on age.’

‘We had to earn it’

Other readers were more equivocal about the possibility, suggesting it’s a sensible way to introduce young adults to the world of work.

Adam Mcgregor said: ‘I’m proper anti reform. But I can almost see what he means.

‘A pub paying a glass collector. Someone helping out in a cafe at the weekend. That kind of thing.’

Susan Beesley wrote: ‘When I was just starting out, we knew we had to work our way up through good work ethics, earning our way to a better pay schedule.

‘No one started at the top with high hourly wages and benefits. We had to earn it. The cost of living has made it harder. But we all learned about budgeting. Often it meant working 2 jobs.’

Other options

A couple of those commenting on our post had alternative suggestions.

Matt Tysoe said politicians should consider giving employers ‘a tax break for giving younger British people a chance’.

He wrote: ‘All good and well urging employers to take them on like that, but it’s hardly going to convince young people to think it’s worth it.

‘Bit of a stupid notion, young people may as well focus on being influencers or some other online hussle.’

Since 2015, employers have not had to pay any National Insurance on employees under the age of 21 who earn below the upper secondary salary threshold.

The same goes for employers who hire apprentices who are under 25 years old.

From April, the minimum wage for workers aged between 18 and 20 will increase to £10.85 an hour, while those 21 and over on minimum wage will see their pay rise to £12.71 an hour.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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