Why should younger workers get paid less than older workers for doing a similar job?
This is a recurrent question faced by the Low Pay Commission in relation to the minimum wage, which has lower rates for 16-17 year old workers and 18-20 year old workers than those aged 21 and over. It is a question about to become more pressing still with the introduction of the National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and over, which means those aged 21-24 may effectively become a new age band.
The LPC’s goal has up until now been to recommend rates of the minimum wage that are as a high as possible, without damaging employment – whatever the age of the workers. The existing age structure of the minimum wage reflects evidence that younger workers are more at risk of being priced out of jobs than older workers, with worse consequences if they end up unemployed.
Research has shown that youth unemployment has scarring effects, with a wage penalty for early spells out the labour market apparent in reduced earnings into people’s 40s.
It also reflects a more subtle consideration. Education plays a critical role in enabling higher earnings and job security. The minimum wage has been designed to address exploitation in work, without encouraging young people to enter the labour market full-time who might otherwise stay at school, or college.
These two points come together in relation to long-term trends in the youth labour market, where higher proportions of 16-20s have been staying in education year on year since the 1990s – such that those looking for a job straight away are part of a smaller pool, facing competition from increasingly well-qualified older workers.
The evidence supporting a lower wage floor for younger people includes a tendency to higher youth unemployment in countries which do not vary the rate.
It also reflects the reality that average wages of younger workers are sharply lower than those of older workers, perhaps a consequence of lower average experience, higher training costs or a weaker bargaining position. Younger workers disproportionately work in retail, hospitality and other low-paying sectors. Typical hourly earnings for 16-17 year olds were £5.15 in 2014 and £6.53 for 18-20 year olds (both excluding apprentices). This compares to £11.74 for workers aged 21 and over.
One leading indicator of the impact of the minimum wage tracked by the LPC is its value relative to average earnings – the so-called ‘bite’. The Government has set a target for the NLW to reach 60 percent of median hourly earnings for workers aged 25 and over by 2020 – a figure that will give the UK one of the highest value minimum wages in the world. But the bite for younger workers is already far above this level. It was 72 per cent in 2014 for 16-17 year olds, and 76 per cent for 18-20 year olds. (We have excluded apprentices: the figures are slightly higher including them). These figures are based on the lower age rates. Were the adult rate to apply, the bite would already be 100 per cent for 16-17s and 97 per cent for 18-20s.
A final piece of evidence supporting a lower wage floor is research on the LPC’s record. From 1999-2011, growth in the value of the minimum wage outpaced growth in median earnings for 16-17 years old and 18-20s, especially in the period 2007-2011. But from 2011-2014 we reluctantly recommended lower increases in the minimum wage in light of evidence of high unemployment and falling real wages following the recession. Initial econometric research by London Economics – inevitably tentative in its conclusions but nonetheless suggestive – has found that the slowdown and freeze in the youth rates succeeded in supporting employment of younger workers. It found for example that 16-20 year olds were 2.5 percentage points more likely to be employed compared with individuals aged 21-22 as a result of the slowdown in the youth rates.
Younger workers
None of this means that the LPC is relaxed about the pay of younger workers. Quite the opposite – the high bites of the youth rates testifies to our concern to push the level as far as the market can bear and we have previously committed to larger increases for younger workers than for adults when economic circumstances permit (ie, a period of catch-up). But younger workers are at the sharp end of the minimum wage: the group most at risk from any negative effects, where the consequences if things go wrong are very serious.
It is also important to recognise that the availability of lower rates of the minimum wage for younger workers does not mean that employers have to use them. The minimum wage is a floor, not a ceiling. Many firms have chosen not to vary pay rates by age including most of the big retailers. Indeed, around one in ten young workers were paid at their respective youth rate in 2014, while three in ten 16-17 year olds, and seven in ten 20 year olds, were paid above the adult rate.
National Living Wage
All of this has new salience in light of the introduction of the National Living Wage which will require the LPC to recommend to government the level of the adult rate, in future applicable to workers aged 21-24 only.
Questions we are currently mulling – and which will be informed by the results of our recent consultation – include: on what basis we recommend pay levels for 21-24 year olds? How should the future adult rate be affected by a higher NLW rate for those aged 25 and above?
On the one hand, those aged 21-24 have much lower pay and higher unemployment than workers aged 25 and above, as well as the highest bite of any age group – at 79 per cent. On the other hand, older workers are now set to have a higher wage floor, meaning younger workers could have higher pay than they otherwise would and still be relatively attractive to employ. A number of larger firms have said they are unlikely to differentiate pay by age for workers aged 21-24 – partly on legal, and employment relations grounds, but also because they are uncomfortable with treating people in their early 20s differently from those in their mid-20s.
Still time to have your say
The LPC will be working its way through these, and other arguments, in the coming weeks and months. If you would like to have your say, our written consultation is now closed, but we are currently undertaking a programme of visits around the country to meet workers and employers, as well as meetings with interested stakeholders one-to-one. We would love to hear from you.
Current and future wage rates
| Current NMW structure | Current Rate | Future NMW (from April 2016) | |
| Adult rate (21+) | £6.70 | National Living Wage (25+) | £7.20 |
| Adult rate (21-24) | £6.70 | ||
| Youth Development Rate (18-20) | £5.30 | ||
| 16-17 Year Old Rate | £3.87 | ||
| Apprentice Rate* | £3.30 | ||
*Applicable in year 1 for all apprentices; the age appropriate rates then apply for workers 19+.
58 comments
Comment by Alex posted on
Raise the minimum wage for 18+ year olds were adults with lives its unfair were paid less. Im 20 this year and earn 5.53 I live alone pay tax yet I am paid less for no reason other than law makers thinking I should live at home!
Comment by wendy milner posted on
the government is wrong if young people are prepared to do the same work as an older person,they should be on the same wage as an older person.This is just another way to exploit the young.You are right most young people want to strike out and live on their own but are being held back from doing so.
Comment by Albany Webster posted on
It's so true that's why people our age end up sponging off the government, it's the only way we can survive.
Comment by JP posted on
And for 16-18 year olds. Same job different pay, women seem to have reasonable grounds with slightly different wages over the minimum wage, yet we dont because we are younger ?
Same job same pay, problem solved.
Comment by Nathan Walters posted on
Above 18 I completely agree with equal pay, below 18 I don’t agree entirely, at my workplace those under legally cannot carry heavy items, climb ladders, access the chemical/cleaning supplies which restricts them to doing half the work i do. (Work at a warehouse btw)
Comment by Matthew Naylor posted on
Age discrimination!
I am 22 with more qualifications and experience then others but get paid less!
The name national living wage ?
Does this mean those under 25 should not be allowed to live? And just struggle?
What a joke !!!
Comment by George posted on
Well it is a total cop out. The new policies on education and certain funding options cut. The education argument is null and void for those who are from poorer backgrounds. Therefore where i stay. This is now an opportunity for greedy employers to exploit. No other reason than that. So over 25. Scrapheap. The worst is when same day. you get an interview. One so far this past year. And not usually a reply. Experience not even an issue, but despite it usually being of at least some importance. The interview. Haha...was told i would hear in 3 days. I tried to phone, but call not available for person. Then a letter, post-marked, Letter they should be made to provide data, of ratio of what age bracket passed interview. IT was not advertised as age restricted job?? dated, well after it was posted???So, it was ok to waste my time. Deliberately, and with intention. I see that as theft. I am on the scrapheap, despite..education..no easier time on the benefit than being a younger unemployed person. I have children. I am on verge of breakdown. These companies, are using this to their advantage. How do you report abuses. And such things as this.
Comment by Gareth posted on
18 year olds should get equal pay!
Comment by ??? posted on
Do you have more experience than a 30 year old? How about more education? Think before you talk it might help sometime
Comment by Inga posted on
if you high educated-yes,but if you a cleaner, about what experience do you say? or if you are doing night shift?
Comment by ??? posted on
Do you have more experience than a 30 year old? How about more education? Think before you talk it might help sometime
Comment by Liam posted on
sorry no, just because i dont have as much experience as the next 30 year old person doesnt mean im not a hard worker... think before you talk, its horrible, im 16 and i still have to pay for things, i still have stuff that needs paying for, yet im on 4.20 an hour, could you live of that? no you couldnt, and especially when you work 12 days straight 7.5 hours a day and all you see is 370 pound. then theres other people who work there and do 5/6 days and get paid the same... i do not see the fairness in minimum wage. I am a hard worker and find it horrible how they say you can earn this because youre 16, it also annoys me, because youve got people who do naff all at work and just go on their phone and do nothing, yet i have to pick up the slack? how is this fair, theyre on 3 pound an hour more than me and do nothing yet im the one who works 2x harder due to them not doing much.
Comment by Zacharie mulville posted on
If you think just because someone has age they have more experience or education in a field you're wrong. A lot of older people in the work force has "experience." because they've been there, but they didn't stay in school past 13, so education doesn't matter in practice.
I spoke better English than my foreign co-workers and had worked at a place for over a year and a half when they had just started, but they earned an extra 15 odd% because they had a few years of age on me. If i at age 19 got a job, starting in a new field with no experience and another candidate age 26 got a job at the same place, again with no experience in the field, both at an A-level equivalent education, there is no good reason they should get an extra 2 pounds!
Comment by An Under 25 posted on
It’s quite simple, there are 30 year olds in retail getting paid more than me, a 19 year old in a skilled profession. I learn and force myself into things I’m not really meant to be doing just so I can learn how to do everything. If I can go out of my way to do something to change the way things work, I’ll do it. I’m less skilled than my seniors but why am I paid less than unskilled over 25 workers? Also, I can’t live at home as my mother claims benefits so basically I am being forced to leave by the government yet it’s only a new thing that I can get financial help. I’m proud and I don’t want this. I want to just rent and be happier. I have to leave home as she will lose benefits and I’ll be paying everything so regardless, I need more money. Also, I think it’s onlu fair I earn enough so that I can continue to save as I do. I end up putting the maximum £200 a month into this help to buy thing but you know, I won’t be able to do that once I move out. I have to move out and I don’t have enough money to do so. If I stay, I’ll be paying more than if I move out, all starting in a few more months February. If you think skill is the problem, just take a look at all the 30 year olds who got random uni degrees because they thought it would just look good. Most of them are now in bad jobs yet I did all I could to get skills for the job I wanted, including spending my entire free time learning new skills at home. If you want to justify that I’m not as hard a worker as you lot, try it but you will be wrong.
Comment by Nathan posted on
Well, i have a degree from a russell group university and quality A-levels and 4 years of work experience. Why should i get paid less because i am 21 yet some dude is 26 with not as much experience and no degree? The pay rate is not about experience, 25’s get paid more regardless of having more experience
Comment by Ryan Towell posted on
There is no way that the government can justify paying under 21's up to nearly £3 less than somebody who older for doing the same job. They might think that all under 21's are in education but that is simply not the case. As an independent 20 year old, the wage I that get means that I get less expendable income after I have paid rent and bills. It's extremely disheartening.
Comment by Ahane posted on
I'm 17 sweat out just as much as my 21 year old brother in the same job doing the same thing and still get paid less. This does not seem right to me !!
Comment by Katie posted on
I don't believe that younger people should be paid less than older people.
I'm 18 and I do the exact same job as those aged 25+. Why should I be paid less? We all have lives to live. Age should not matter.
Some people my age have houses, children and other responsibilities which means they require monday. We should not be discriminated against because of our age.
Comment by George, 34 posted on
UK is an old fashioned state where discrimination still rules.
Comment by sarah posted on
This is another shameful example of the UK government putting the burden of austerity on young people. 'Subtle considerations' are not justifiable reasons for explicit discrimination against a weak social group. Under 25s often want to start their own family and have every right to do so but policies like this are making it impossible to live independently. If they are not counted as a fully-fledged citizens then they should not be taxed as such.
Comment by Mr Wage Wai Tu Lo posted on
It's about time the Government sorted this mess out once and for all.
Two Young Adults, 17 and 18 both on different pay scales yet their circumstances are identical.
Both have the same job responsibilities in the same company, both live at home with their Parents, Both in full time education, both single yet a difference of £1.55 approx in pay.
Isn't it about time Prime Minister that you got to grips with this Unfair pay scale? If you want the backing of the people then do something for the people instead of Ripping them off!
Comment by leanne posted on
shocking that young people are exploited
we do exactly the same work yet our age meens we are paided up to 5 pounds less this is totally unjust?
Comment by Mo posted on
Tell me why a 16 year old is being paid so much less than someone over 25 for the EXACT same job? At my job I was doing far more work than an older worker and yet being paid far less. Why? I still have to pay to survive. They seem to assume that those under 25 have parents or relatives to mooch off.
Comment by Albany Webster posted on
Exactly I'm living with relatives right now but I want my own place and I want to be independent how the hell am I meant to achieve that when I'm being paid so little?
Comment by Sarah posted on
I'm 26 so this doesn't impact me but I still feel strongly that everybody, regardless of ave, deserves to be paid at least the minimum wage. Young(er) people still have bills and food to buy. Stop the exploitation!
Comment by Angie posted on
I'm 20 and have a young child to support but would still earn £5.55 if I went back to work. Me and my partner are struggling to save for a mortgage because it's pointless going back to work for under £6 an hour when childcare will cost me double what I'm earning. It's outrageous and an insult when we are doing exactly the same as someone who is just a year older!
Not all 18-21 year olds live with parents. We have responsibilities and commitments too. In fact, I know a few 21+ year olds that still live with parents, no children and go out drinking most nights and have no bills to pay. It's totally wrong.
Comment by Laura 72 posted on
I agree ...everyone’s wage should be the same ...if we work and do the same job as everyone else then why the hell should the pay be so different ...I’m 47 btw and certainly don’t agree with £4.20 for a 16 year old ...and the government wonder why kids don’t want to get out their beds cos I know I certainly wouldn’t ...come on government give the kids a break and match the minimum wage
Comment by Elle posted on
In the 70s Women fought for parity of pay with their male colleagues who were doing exactly the same job arguing that it was sex discrimination to pay them less than men. They won. It seems to me that to pay young people less than older colleagues doing exactly the same job is blatant ageism, which I though was illegal. If Businesses cannot survive without slave labor perhaps they should not be operating at all. Young people must continue to make peaceful protest with regard to this injustice until their voices are heard.
Comment by Dave posted on
this is outrageous!!!!! Rase the wage
Comment by Victoria posted on
I can perhaps see the advantage for under 20s that lack experience but over that is a joke.
Comment by Albany Webster posted on
I'm eighteen and have two years of experience and yet I'm being paid so much less than people who are older but have less experience
Comment by Rebecca posted on
My son is 20 this year. He works in hospitality here on the Isle of Wight and earns just £5.30 an hour. He has a flat to run and a fiance who has just given birth to their first child. He pays the same tax as older members of staff, works longer hours (because he is cheaper!) and can't claim Working Tax Credits. He is more experienced than some of his older team workers and has even had to give them on job training! He was told he had to work Christmas Day for £5.30 an hour or he would lose his job!
In this day and age of anti-discrimination, this is the worst case of discrimination I have ever heard of because it is sanctioned by the government themselves!!!!! Shocking when you legally cannot discriminate against anyone and are encouraged to treat people as individuals and with respect (Equality Act 2010).
Comment by callum posted on
i think this is ridiculous! lowering younger peoples wages to increase the likely hood of them working to go to collage or uni is bu**sh*t! what if young people dont want to start working later and they want or need to start working now!? this is a high legal form of age discrimination and inequality, im 19 getting paid £6.08 on a 16 hour contract while im Privately renting living with my partner not being able to help much and your excuse for me not getting paid enough is because you want to keep me in collage?! im better than the older staff that have been there for 9 years! ffs life is sh*t and your not helping. fix up lifes expensive for those starting off. governments a joke, email me if i have it wrong...
Comment by Ashley posted on
"Why should younger workers get paid less than older workers for doing a similar job?"
Correction: The same job, don't sugar coat it. Actually what about people like me? I'm a supervisor in a super market but because I'm 20 I still get paid less than the people I supervise. Youth development rate, that's just an insult, why does the 21 year old get 25% more than I do and the 25 year old gets 30% more for a less qualified job. My wage is £4,000 per annum less than my colleagues who do the same hours, who do a less qualified job, are entitled to a workplace pension and more government benefits. That £4000 is more than my years share of rent and utilities and that figure is only about to get worse come this April when the pay gap for me reaches £4500 so that's a council tax sized lump there too. So I live on what "an adult" has left over for food and what ever they fancy...
"seven in ten 20 year olds, were paid above the adult rate."
I see why now it's because I'm not an adult and I should be spending the next 5 years of my life sleeping on my mum's sofa?
You look up equal pay and all you see is females get 90% of what men earn on average. What about the adults that get 70% of what of what the older adults get paid.
It's discrimination!
Comment by Robert Reid posted on
This is so true, the system is fucked age discrimination is real
Comment by Hannah posted on
And they complain that young people are not buying houses enough! I'm 19 trying to save a deposit for a house yet I would never be able to pay for a mortgage on 5.55 an hour!! Some of us can't stay with our parents till we are 25! It's disgusting employers usually train employees in the same time frame in most retail stores so why is age even a factor? Almost 3 pound less an hour is ridiculous
Comment by Wendy posted on
I have an 18yr old granddaughter who is taking over a job from someone on£7.50per hr but she will only get £5.30 per hr! She is being trained by this person to do exactly what she has been doing and the same hours! I am 74 and remember the fight for equal job equal pay so where's that ruling gone? I think it's totally wrong and hope all younger people keep fighting this injustice!!
Comment by Clare posted on
It is an absolute cop out to find any reason possible not to have one level of minimum wage, you can not continue to box in individuals the way you are... If people are doing the same job they should earn the same rate irrespective & saying employers could pay more if they choose is ridiculous! A fair system needs to be had for all & I'm an older person!
Comment by Dr L N Lansbury posted on
There is no humane excuse for denying the under 25s a living wage.
If jobs can't be provided without cutting financial outgoings the reduction should be made at the upper end of the scale. If you claim this cannot be done, in the same breath you are forcing younger workers to go without adequate food and a roof over their head.
To have a job at the level you do, the intelligence to create a strategy that does not leave young people in poverty should not be beyond your capabilities.
One cannot live on £7k a year but if people earning £100k were limited to £95k they could live. What you are doing is sacrificing the young to ensure the rich get richer.
There is no justification for this behaviour.
Comment by Lascelles Reid-Barlow posted on
I cannot understand how one may argue that because a person is 18, and therefore finished compulsory education, they are being paid less than someone who is doing the exact same job, the same hours and experiences sometimes the same bills which a 25+-year-old has to pay! It is not because 'younger people are more likely to be on the negative end' of a price rise, in fact, i'm quite sure that it will be the older generation who will go as they are sometimes less effective. That, in essence, is the same as saying 'oh, disabled people only get paid £6, as they are more likely to be struck off work if something bad happens'. If a politician said that then they would be done for discrimination under the Equality Act (amended in 2010). In fact, the Equality act 2010, chapter 15 states that the Equality Act has been enacted "to enable certain employers to be required to publish information about the differences in pay between male and female employees; to prohibit victimisation in certain circumstances; to require the exercise of certain functions to be with regard to the need to eliminate discrimination and other prohibited conduct; to enable duties to be imposed in relation to the exercise of public procurement functions; to increase equality of opportunity; to amend the law relating to rights and responsibilities in family relationships; and for connected purposes." So why is it that it is wrong to pay a man and a woman who is doing the same job a different pay but not an 18 and 25 years old? in fact, is it not quite contradictory that the equality law, in 2010 c. 15, Part 2 - Chapter 1, Section 5: "(1)In relation to the protected characteristic of age—
(a)a reference to a person who has a particular protected characteristic is a reference to a person of a particular age group;
(b)a reference to persons who share a protected characteristic is a reference to persons of the same age group.
(2)A reference to an age group is a reference to a group of persons defined by reference to age, whether by reference to a particular age or to a range of ages." Therefore is the government, which is the same government who has not changed the law and has backed and swore upon this law, breaking it themselves by making young people ( a reference to an age group) be 'unfairly' treated as we are being paid less? please feel free to respond.
Comment by ken posted on
Does the 22 year old MP earn the same as MPs over 25 in that house of mainly panckake flippers enough said.
Comment by ken posted on
Does the 22 year old MP earn the same as MPs over 25 enough said.
Comment by Matt posted on
I'm 27 and think this is absolute nonsense. The minimum wage is the wage paid by exploitative companies who want cheap labor. The lower this wage is, the worse the exploitation. Particularly when it comes to things like warehouse jobs, which have abysmal track records for temp workers (and temp workers are being pushed like mad with the new universal credit system). Lots of temp work on a CV puts off full time employers, meaning you end up stuck as a "permatemp", meaning you will never be able to be in a financial position to be able to move out. The only reason I escaped this cycle was because I managed to get into an admin role within one of these warehouse companies.
Comment by Cher h posted on
Age discrimination at its best my 19 year old daughter on a zero hour contract has a wage of £300 this month to do her and her partner for the month as he is unemployed this is not a living wage and isn’t going to pay there bills or give them a very merry Christmas, this to me is a national disgrace how age discrimination doesn’t apply for young ones is beyond me, hope some one soon does a test legal case on this one because it’s unjust! Unfair! And not acceptable! They are doing the exact same job as older people £300 to spend an hour traveling there and an hour traveling back via bus and to have to wash there own uniforms and provide there own shoes and buy a spare uniform so they don’t have to wash and not wear the same uniform at burger king is a disgrace! This is slave labour at its best and is legal REALLY!!!!!!!
Comment by machu michu posted on
i'm ten and work in a coal mine but I get paid 8x more than bill gates
Comment by machu michu posted on
FACTS
Comment by Linda posted on
I'm 18 and I actually hold the keys to my store, I am not the manager or deputy but it's one step down from being supervisor. I take full responsibility for my shop, sometimes completely on my own.
Despite having worked hard to get myself to this point within a year of starting and doing all the applicable training, I still earn £5.65 hourly purely because of my age.
Most of the sales assistants who I am essentially in charge of earn at least £7.50 with the exception of a few rewarded slight increases.
No one I currently work with has been with the store for more than 2 years, excluding the manager and the deputy. It's nothing to do with experience.
I have bills to pay and things to do. Yet I find myself absolutely skint mid-month wondering why I'm even bothering.
I can not afford a car. I can not afford to move out of my council house shared with my family. And it looks likely that I won't be able to consider that until I'm 21. 30 considering how much I would actually need to save.
I didn't finish school, after hunting for a very long time this place was the only one to even give me an interview; for that I am very grateful. One must wonder though how the MOST vulnerable, those who for whatever reason have had difficulty in school/college, are left wondering "What even was the point?" When they do eventually get into work.
I understand fully that those who work hard deserve more but god knows I'm trying my hardest right now. And yet I'm stuck with this, there's no alternative to the fact that I'm working basically full time for around £50 a month after I've paid rent and contributed to the house.
I do see as well that for the most part younger people live with their parents who will continue to sustain them. But again that idea targets the most vulnerable group of young people. After having the money she'd gotten for me stopped, my mum can not afford to keep me.
I reached out to a higher up in my job about a potential pay rise and he responded with "I know what you young ones are like. A job like this is just some party money isn't It?"
No. It pays my bills and helps my single mother who is too sick to work pay hers. I'm working harder for it than those below me are. That is just not fair.
Comment by Robert Reid posted on
Absolute bullshit government, bad enough the tories are destroying our health service. How is any 16 year old living alone supposed to survive off £3.87 an hour? This is not equality in the work place!!!!
Comment by Lel posted on
Totally unfair - Health Receptionists (Adults) replaced by more competent (Computer Literate) and Willing teenagers - result...... lower wage bill for the practice............... teenagers would earn more in a shop or café.............. cannot be right 🙁
Comment by Luke posted on
I work 40+ a week and never moss a day. I work just had hard if not harder than anyone else in my work place, why, just because of my age should I get paid less, if I worked less I would be fired so why do older people deserve more pay if I'm just as good if not better?
Comment by Luke posted on
Also my wage is lower than everyone else's yet my bills arnt lowered because of my age!
Comment by JP posted on
The only evidence supporting a reduced minimum wage for younger people is that the government is too busy spending money on everything else but the people who need it and are exploiting young people.
None of the "evidence" here actually relates to the majority of situations faced by young people working.
If younger people are to be paid less, then make their rent, taxes and other expenses reduced too. If not then pay us the same as everyone else for the same jobs!
Comment by H posted on
I'm an American and just learned about this policy in the UK and it's something I can't imagine having to deal with. It's clear discrimination. Maybe it's the American capitalist in me but employment should be a level playing field and just because you're older doesn't mean you won't have competition for your job. There are plenty of older people who have less education than someone leaving school at 18 but that should be irrelevant anyway. Value of a role is up to an employer to determine, not the government. This puts strange constraints on what should be the free market. That's not how labor markets are meant to work.
Comment by Sai posted on
I am now 19 and have been working since 16 I have 14 qualifications from care Work to level 3 catering when I was kicked out I struggled to survive because of this silly minimum wage , I missed so much college having to work more then others at my job that where older then me just to support myself and at 17 I for some reason couldn’t claim any sort of benefits to help me. This is why young people sell drugs and steal because they know that because of there age they will not be paid fairly, plus the fact that jobs don’t treat young people the same they make them work harder for less money just because of there age.
With how society is now if all age groups got paid the same young people wouldn’t have to struggle and turn straight to crime because it would earn better money without being over worked.
Comment by Lizzy posted on
The whole "young people should stay in Education" thing is complete rubbish. The government are currently trying to reduce the number of young people going into higher education by increasing tuition fees. Regardless, the minimum maintenance loan to go to university is impossible to live on - it doesn't even cover rent. The only way for many young people to go to uni is if they get a job too. With studies as well, do you really think that we have time to work more hours to get the same as a 25-year-old? Everyone needs to live so everyone should get the living wage.
Comment by Lee George posted on
Having started work in 1973 I was paid the full rate for the job on reaching 18yo..that was the norm for most employers except apprentices and cadets. The present system is clearly a rip off for the young and I am deeply ashamed that a Labour government brought this in.
Comment by Leanne posted on
I am a fully qualified nursery practitioner but i am aged 20years old i am currently working at minimum wage and have a work colleague who is older but does not have my qualifications and is in a lesser paid job role. Is this legal or should i be paid a normal minimum wage
Comment by QWERTY posted on
Slave labour, if a person is doing the same job regardless of age, gender or education they should be paid the same full stop!!!! Someone with a degree cleans floors the same as someone without an education!!!! Discrimination at its best!!!