Minimum Wage

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Minimum Wage

A minimum wage is a legally-enforced pay floor in the labour market. The UK National Minimum Wage (NMW) applies to most workers and sets minimum hourly rates of pay, which are updated annually.

The NMW was introduced on 1 April 1999 at the rate of £3.60 per hour for adults aged 22 and over. From April 2018, the adult rate for the minimum wage (for workers aged 25 years and over) will be £7.83 per hour.

Macro Effects of a Higher UK Minimum Wage

15th May 2026
Micro Case Study: Uber and Labour Markets

Topical case studies
In the News Teaching Activity – Why are Aldi workers getting pay rises? (Mar 2026)

5th March 2026
Businesses Impacted By Higher Minimum Wage | Application for A-Level Economics

8th May 2025
In the News Teaching Activity – has selling pizza helped improve Greggs’ profitability? (Mar 2025)

27th March 2025
Will the 2025 UK Minimum Wage Hike Cost Jobs?

17th March 2025
Lidl lifts pay ahead of minimum wage rise

12th February 2025
In the News Teaching Activity – what impact has the increase in employer NICs and NMW had on Pizza Hut’s profits? (Nov 2024)

21st November 2024
A Fair Day’s Wage or a Financial Strain? Unpacking the UK’s Minimum Wage Hike

30th October 2024
Continued Debate over the US Minimum Wage

27th September 2024
Labour Markets | Classroom Posters / Handouts

Poster / Student Handout
Minimum Wages and Development: Have minimum wages boosted consumption in China?

18th July 2024
Game Theory meets Monopolistic Competition: Nail Technicians raise prices together!

7th April 2024
AQA A-Level Economics - Year 13 Microeconomics Knowledge Organiser Pack

Exam Support
UK Minimum Wage Climbs to £11.44/hour - Good for the Economy?

1st April 2024
Is the Minimum Wage one of the most successful UK economic policies?

27th March 2024
Poverty Deepening in Modern Britain

24th March 2024
Economics of Minimum Prices I A Level and IB Economics

Topic Videos
UK Government Raises Minimum Wage by 10%

22nd November 2023
In the News Teaching Activity – inflation-busting increase in national minimum wage for 2024 (Nov 2023)

27th November 2023
4.1.6.6 National Minimum Wage (AQA A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
1.4.1 Minimum Prices (Edexcel A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
3.5.3 Minimum Wage in the Labour Market (Edexcel A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
3.5.3 Minimum Wages and Unemployment (Edexcel A-Level Economics Teaching PowerPoint)

Teaching PowerPoints
Synoptic Economics: Impact of Higher Minimum Wage

Topic Videos
Minimum Wages and Unemployment

Study Notes
Netherlands raises their minimum wage by 10%

21st September 2022
TUC launch campaign for £15 per hour national minimum wage

24th August 2022
Synoptic Revision - Micro and Macro Effects of a Minimum Wage

Topic Videos
Labour Market Diagrams - Six Short Revision Videos

Topic Videos
Edexcel Paper 3: Synoptic Essay on the Minimum Wage

Exam Support
Development Economics: Policies to Reduce Relative Poverty - Minimum Wages

Topic Videos
UK Economy - Policy Focus - Minimum Wages and Inflation

Topic Videos
UK Economy - Policy Focus - Minimum Wages and Unemployment

Topic Videos
Minimum Wage and Living Wage

Topic Videos
Restaurants face closure as costs rise and demand dips

5th December 2016
Wage Differentials in the UK (Labour Markets)

Study Notes
Minimum Wages - Analysis of Impact (Labour Markets)

Topic Videos
Minimum Wages - Evaluation (Labour Markets)

Topic Videos
Inequality in the UK Economy

Topic Videos
Minimum Wage - A Level Economics Data Response Plan

Exam Support
A* Exam Technique: Evaluating impact of a higher minimum wage

Practice Exam Questions
Minimum Prices (Online Lesson)

Online Lessons
Does a higher minimum wage necessarily cost jobs?

15th January 2020
UK national living wage to rise by 6.2% in 2020

31st December 2019
Signficant historical events in Economics - "Timeline" Activity

Quizzes & Activities
Hammond plots one of the world's highest minimum wages

7th May 2019
Labour Market Failure (2019 Update)

Teaching PowerPoints
20 Years of the UK National Minimum Wage

Study Notes
Minimum Wage - Evaluation Phrases in Action

Study Notes
Minimum Wage (Chain of Analysis)

Topic Videos
Amazon increases their US minimum wage to $15 an hour

5th October 2018
Market Failure - Income and Wealth Inequality

Study Notes
Economics Exam Context for 2018

Study Notes
Minimum Wage and Living Wage (Government Intervention)

Study Notes
Must Watch Revision Videos on Labour Markets

1st June 2018
Employment gains from a higher Mexican minimum wage

12th April 2017
Business Responses to the "new" UK Living Wage

24th April 2016
Why the Minimum Wage Worked

12th April 2016
Will the new National Living Wage cost jobs?

25th March 2016
Should there be a maximum wage?

29th July 2014
Labour Market: Food Industry Workers Protest Again Zero Hours and Low Pay

16th May 2014
Measuring a minimum income standard

29th July 2014
The Poverty Trap- Panorama

12th October 2014
Government regulation: minimum wage and the homecare industry

30th March 2015
Osborne rebrands the Minimum Wage

9th July 2015
Whitbread to pay the Living Wage

9th September 2015

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Minimum Wage