The minimum wage may be extended to 16 and 17-year-olds, according to a report in The Independent.
Apparently, ministers are considering including an extension of the minimum wage in the Labour Party’s next election manifesto. The new minimum wage for young workers is likely to be less than the present £3.80 hourly rate for workers aged between 18 and 21.
The Government decided to exclude 16 and 17-year-olds
when the minimum wage was introduced because ministers were worried that higher wages might encourage some teenagers to prematurely drop out of education.
However, the DTI submitted evidence to the Low Pay Commission’s review of the minimum wage which emphasised the danger of exploitation of young workers. “The Government introduced the national minimum wage to end exploitation through low wages and as part of its policies to make work pay. It would be wrong to allow 16 and 17-year-olds in employment, the youngest workers, to be exploited through low wages,” it said.
The Low Pay Commission, which favours an extension to 16 and 17-year-olds, will finish its review by the end of February and submit it to ministers for a final decision.
The TUC estimates more than 100,000 16 and 17-year-olds are earning less than £3.50 an hour. If the Government set a minimum wage of £3.00 an hour, the TUC estimates that 65,000 would benefit.
