National Minimum Wage – Current rates
These rates are for the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage. The rates change every April.
| Year | 25 and over | 21 to 24 | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2019 (current rate) | £8.21 | £7.70 | £6.15 | £4.35 | £3.90 |
| April 2020 | £8.72 | £8.20 | £6.45 | £4.55 | £4.15 |
Coronavirus and Sick Pay
Prime Minister Boris Johnson told MPs:
I can today (4th March 2020) announce that the Health Secretary will bring forward, as part of our emergency legislation measures, to allow the payment of Statutory Sick Pay from the very first day you are sick instead of four days under the current rules.
No one should be penalised for doing the right thing.
Explaining the rationale for the measure, the Prime Minister had earlier said:
We are not at the point yet where we are asking large numbers of people to self-isolate, but that may of course come if large numbers have the symptoms.
If they stay at home, they are helping to protect all of us by preventing the spread of the virus.
The change will be a temporary measure to respond to the outbreak and will lapse when it is no longer required.
Statutory Sick Pay is paid by employers, who will know the reason their staff are giving for not being at work and already have some discretion to accept different forms of evidence as proof of sickness.
