National Minimum Wage Advice

The national minimum wage was introduced to protect employees from being under paid by employers. The law is enforced by the Inland Revenue.

Pay rates for workers from 1 October 2006

£5.35 per hour for workers aged 22 years and older.
£4.45 per hour for workers aged 18 - 21 years.

£3.30 per hour for workers aged 16 - 17

Compulsory School age is different within the UK.
In England and Wales: a person is no longer of compulsory school age after the last Friday of June of the school year in which their 16th birthday occurs.

In Scotland: pupils whose 16th birthday falls between 1 March and 30 September may not leave before the 31 May of that year. Pupils aged 16 on or between 1 October and the last day of February may not leave until the start of the Christmas holidays in that school year.

In Northern Ireland: a person is no longer of compulsory school age after the 30th June of the school year in which their 16th birthday occurs.

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