Employment: Young People
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Business and Trade, what assessment he has made of the relationship between minimum wage levels and entry-level job availability for young people.
Answered by Kate Dearden
When setting minimum wage rates, the Government carefully considers the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission (LPC), an internationally respected independent body. The LPC takes into account current labour market conditions, including the youth labour market, when making its recommendations.
Accordingly, the increase to the National Minimum Wage rate from April 2026 was more modest than in recent years, and the latest remit issued to the LPC asks the Commissioners to prioritise young people's employment prospects when making recommendations for the April 2027 rates.
Evidence to date shows little or no significant impact on employment from past increases to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW).
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