Local Conservatives have welcomed an increase to the National Living Wage for an estimated 14,208 people across Sefton.
The Conservative Government is delivering on its commitment to end low hourly pay for full-time workers on the Conservative-introduced National Living Wage (NLW).
From 1 April 2024, the NLW will increase by 9.8 per cent to £11.44 an hour for eligible workers aged 21 and over.
This represents an increase of over £1,800 to the annual earnings of a full-time worker on the NLW and is expected to benefit around 2.7 million low paid workers.
Earlier this month it was also announced the proportion of workers on low pay has halved since 2010, thanks to the National Living Wage.
With inflation halved, and falling, the Conservative Government is taking the long-term decisions to ensure hard work always pays for people in Sefton.
Commenting, Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:
"Next April all full-time workers on the National Living Wage will get a pay rise of over £1,800 a year. That will end low pay in this country, delivering on our manifesto promise.
The National Living Wage has helped halve the number of people on low pay since 2010, making sure work always pays"
Other measures announced in today's statement include:
- Main rate of National Insurance cut from 12% to 10% from 6 January, helping 27 million people
- Class 2 National Insurance - paid by self-employed people earning more than £12,570 - abolished from April
- Class 4 National Insurance for self employed - paid on profits between £12,570 and £50,270 - cut from 9% to 8% from April
- New rate of National Living Wage to apply to 21 and 22-year-old workers for the first time, rather than just those 23 and over
- Universal Credit and other working-age benefits to increase by 6.7% from April, in line with September's inflation rate
- Local Housing Allowance rates - which determine the level of housing benefit and Universal Credit people receive to pay rent - to be unfrozen and increased to 30% of local rents
- State pension payments to increase by 8.5% from April, in line with average earnings
