Minimum wage rise narrows pay gap for young workers, as awareness of rights remains a concern – TUC

Effective from yesterday, 1st April 2025, the minimum wage has risen, narrowing the gap between wages for workers under and over 21.

This change is part of the Government’s “Make Work Pay” initiative, which aims to ensure that the minimum wage is a genuine living wage for all and eliminate age-based pay disparities.

As a result, the wage increase will apply to all workers, with younger workers seeing significant gains.

For young workers, this means notable annual salary boosts.

A 16 to 17-year-old working 12 hours a week will see their salary increase by £700, while those working full-time can expect an additional £2,000.

Workers aged 18 to 20, with an average of 24.2 hours per week, will see their pay rise by £1,800 annually, with full-time workers benefiting from a £2,500 increase.

Meanwhile, workers aged 21 to 30 working 32.6 hours a week will see an annual increase of £1,300, which rises to £1,400 for full-time workers.

Despite the increase, research from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said that young workers are often unaware of their workplace rights.