Angela Rayner is advocating for raising the minimum wage for 18-20-year-olds to align with the adult rate. This decision intends to eliminate the £2-per-hour wage gap and follows Labour's goal to end age-based wage discrimination. The initiative aims to attract younger voters amidst competition from Reform UK. Business leaders express concern that this wage increase could lead to job losses in industries employing young people, particularly hospitality, which has faced significant job cuts and rising employment costs. Advocacy for fair pay comes with warnings about the balance between wages and job availability.
"We understand the Government's objective of fair pay, but you can only have fair pay if you have a job that actually pays," Nicholls said. "Now is not the time to make big jumps in employment costs."
"Employers want to help, but the rising cost of employment makes that very difficult for many firms," she said. "If wages rise too fast in this age group, it could mean fewer opportunities."
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