Minimum wage to rise by 15p

The national minimum wage is to increase by 15p an hour to £6.08 in October, benefiting almost a million workers, the government has announced.

Ministers said they had accepted recommendations from the Low Pay Commission, giving a new adult rate of 6.08, while the statutory wage for 18- to 20-year-olds will increase by 6p to 4.98 an hour. The rate for 16- to 17-year-olds will increase by 4p to 3.68 an hour and the rate for apprentices by 10p to 2.60 an hour.

Citizens Advice Scotland warned that the increases will barely offset the rise in the cost of living for many vulnerable people.