Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, has called on the Government to implement Labour’s plans for a Real Living Wage for every adult worker
Labour’s plan would keep a link to median earnings so that all workers benefit from growth and ensure this genuine National Living Wage applied to every adult worker.
From April 2016, the Government introduced a higher minimum wage rate for all staff over 25 – calling it the ‘National Living Wage’. This wage is not calculated according to what employers and their families need to live, however. Instead, it is based on a target to reach 66% of median earnings by 2024. As of April 2022, the National Living Wage is £9.50 for all over 23s, while the National Minimum Wage is £9.18 for those aged 21-22 and just £6.83 for those aged 18-20. This is leaving young adult workers getting a raw deal on pay.
More than a decade with no pay growth has left workers financially vulnerable. A Labour Government will change the Low Pay Commission’s remit so that – alongside median wages and economic conditions – the minimum wage will for the first time reflect the need for working people’s pay to at least cover the cost of living.
Karin Smyth, MP for Bristol South, said:
“As the cost of living crisis continues to impact people in Bristol South, more and more people are struggling to make ends meet. The current so-called National Living Wage is not high enough for many people to be able to afford the rising cost of living. We need a level playing field to give every worker a fair wage.
“The next Labour Government will change the Low Pay Commission’s remit so that the minimum wage will for the first time reflect the need for working people’s pay to at least cover the cost of living. The National Living Wage will finally live up to its name.
“Labour will tackle poverty pay and ensure that working people are not just seen as collateral damage from an economy that isn’t working, and instead respected and recognised for the huge contributions they make. No matter their age, or industry, all working people deserve fair pay.”