Fact Service April 2021

Issue 13

One in three earning less than £10 an hour

As the new minimum and living wage rates come into effect this week, the TUC has urged the government to raise the minimum wage to £10 an hour.

According to the union body, around one in three – 33%, some 3.2 million – key workers earn less than £10 an hour.

They include:

• retail workers. Three-quarters (75%, around one million) of retail workers are paid less than £10 an hour;

• carers. More than three in five (62%, 440,000) carers earn under £10 an hour; and

• teaching assistants. Nearly seven in 10 (69%, 340,000) teaching and education support assistants are paid less than £10 an hour.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Ministers must get the minimum wage up to £10 an hour to stop millions of working people from living in poverty.”

https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-1-3-key-workers-earn-less-ps10-hour