To think minimum wage is dire. What hourly rate would you work for?

[ColdTantrum]

Been job hunting and shocked at some of the low wages I’ve come across in the UK.

Do you agree the minimum wage is shockingly low?

What’s the lowest hourly rate you would be willing to work for?

Yes, it is scary what they mean by that.
NMW jobs should be enough for rent, bills, some life etc.
Maybe PP means that those low skilled jobs should be just for teens etc....
Which is shite, because plenty of adults will never be able to get more than NMW jobs.

12.31 p/hr??? Nope not sustainable if you can only work part time for various reasons.

Also, why do people assume that most people on NMW are low-level or un-skilled, etc? Myself and my colleagues are in good jobs and very skilled but our County Council have deemed we are worthy of that and nothing more.

I think it’s absolutely outrageous how little large corporations in the UK get away with paying people, while making record profits unchecked. The fact that minimum wage is not enough to have a decent quality of life today, without topping up with benefits should not be acceptable. Yet we direct our anger and envy at the wrong people. You see it here all the time, anyone who declares they earn a half decent wage is torn apart, derided or labelled a fantasist. The right wing press whip up faux outrage about train drivers wages and gold plated public pensions, people lap it and turn on each other instead of demanding better wages and decent pensions for everyone . Properly boils my piss.

When I left uni in 2002, my first job paid £26K in central London. I was able to rent a nice flat in zone 2 for £680pm and live quite well. Today, my niece has just started the exact the same role with the same firm and it pays £32k, yet her share of rent in her house share (with three others) is £1450pm, soon to increase to £1600pm so she is looking for somewhere else. Oh and her professional qualifications are no longer fully funded by the firm like mine were. I’m sure someone will come along in a minute and tell me she’s lucky to get £32k, except that job should actually be paying £46K inflation adjusted. Enshittification reigns.

We carry on this path, we’re going to see more and more people turning to extreme politics. It’s already happening and should worry us all.

There are small business owners that have staff on NMW, and they can't afford to pay much more because of how much they are paid by the companies they are contracted out to.
What would you suggest they do?

I don’t know, what do you suggest?

I didn’t say anything about small businesses in my post, read my first sentence again.

But small businesses are still affected by the NMW.

I've always worked very low wage jobs. The last one I had was £9.50 an hour, and I was senior to most others in my department?! This was about 7 years ago.

I'm pleased that the MW has gone up in principle, but I fear it will mean some employers simply taking on fewer staff.

I remember one job where I had to do a ten hour shift, with one 20 mins break, for £3.50 ph. That felt like a bit of a piss take but it was in the film industry so loads of rich kids who didn't need the money I guess. They take advantage in anything that looks 'glamorous'.

Most people can't afford to live on less than the minimum wage whether they're skilled or otherwise. That's the whole point of it, to make sure (in theory) that people can provide adequately for themselves.

It is particularly shocking that young people can be paid an even lower rate for doing the same work! There should not be different tiered minimum wages for different age groups - particularly over 18s! Supermarkets and landlords don’t give them a youth discount, they should be paid the same as everyone else for their work!

The minimum wage is set low as a way of politicians helping out their business mates in a way. The majority of people who rely on minimum wage end up having to claim universal credits so the tax payer is supplementing their wages while the companies that underpay them get to keep their profits. There was an article a year or two ago that looked at wages by the supermarket chains and the numbers of their employees claiming Universal Credits. It would be better to pay a living wage and offer small grants or lower taxes to small companies that would struggle. There was an companies making billions in profits should not be paying poverty wages!

Last line has a typo which it won’t let me edit! Should just say “Companies making billions in profits should not be paying poverty wages!”

You are right... but some companies are small and don't have CEOs raking in £££ either.

Yep but they should be helped with grants or tax breaks. The way it’s currently set up billionaires are benefiting from underpaying workers!

I work in a senior position for 26,750. This is a senior role, in a job where I have a degree, and nearly 15yrs experience. It's just as well I love my job, and I really do! The pay rates are insane, and I'll be leaving my sector this year. I can do a side shift for way better pay and pension. The only thing I've stayed for is my heart has been in it.

Minimum wage did not exist and many people were paid less than current NMW in real terms.

I was job hunting recently. I am 61 so at the end of my career, have a business degree,up to date skills and 40 years experience. £48k or £25/hr gross was the lowest I wanted to accept.

New graduate rate outside London is about £30k or about £15/hr gross

£12 an hour for someone unproven with no experience and no skills, at the start of their career is not bad as long as it is a temporary situation. Important to gain skills and experience, and look for the next step up every two years.

People with years of experience as a carer should not be on NMW. Empathy, patience and kindness are hugely undervalued.

Are you mad? People with zero experience other than caring skills should be paid as much as folk who've undertaken years of paid employment, done courses around that, and furthered their development?...

Hi, I've looked after my kids until they hit 18, I've got zero employment skills other than being a mum. Can I frog leap those other candidates who decided to work hard the past 18yrs, as I'm a mum and it's more important 🤔

Agree with this.

It is particularly shocking that young people can be paid an even lower rate for doing the same work! There should not be different tiered minimum wages for different age groups - particularly over 18s

It gives people with little to no experience a better chance of getting a job though.

Is this an actual joke? Poor you! Try my £12.70 and see how well you can live

When mine teens have had some part time jobs i’ve been shocked how generous it is. One of my earlier jobs as a teen, my friends and I worked for £1.25 an hour in a ‘corner’ shop. I remember the minimum wage being introduced in my late teens and then my best friend and I couldn’t work a Sunday together anymore as they couldn’t afford to pay that twice, so we took it in turns to work with an under 16.

Minimum wage has gone up massively in the past few years, I remember during the 2019 election everyone panicking that it was in labours’ manifesto to put the minimum wage up to £10 an hour, how this would be unaffordable for businesses and cause mass redundancies. Rises have definitely contributed to increased inflation recently - business costs go up so they put their prices up and then pay rises are swallowed by increased prices and round and round we go. I think this latest round due in April of minimum wage rises and NI increase is going to affect the job market massively. I know 2 people who I thought had very secure jobs before are going through redundancy at the moment as the companies have said the further increases are unaffordable and they will need to cut staff.

It's shocking. I wouldn't consider working for less than £50 p/h.

When I was a teenager (I'm mid thirties now) I applied for a waitress role at a new local cafe that had just opened. Made it to the interview when they dropped it on me it would be for £3 an hour!!! Needless to say I didn't take the job!

Well, it depends. In my industry I do not (would not) work for less than £50-60 an hour because of the nature of the role (irregular schedule, 3-4 late evenings a week, lots of travel), and also because I have a first class honours degree, extended masters and additional qualification totalling 10 years of study.

However, it’s also an industry where I may be working 25 hours a week on paper, but the amount of personal prep needed takes it to 50-60 hours a week more often than not. So I’m working for a lot less than £50ph.

In 2019 I was working for less than £9 an hour though as that was the minimum wage (I may have been under the age threshold too). Would I work minimum wage again if I needed to? Yes, but obviously not in the pressured, stressful and highly-skilled job I do right now.

Get into the real life.