posted 14th June 2026
What is the minimum wage?
Anyone who hires anyone in the UK has to pay them a minimum hourly rate. There are different rates for different ages. The rates are reviewed each April, at the beginning of the tax year.
For 2026-27, the rates are:
Under 18 / apprentices £8
(Apprentices are people who are being trained to do a particular job)
18 - 20 £10.85
21 + £12.71
Should we abolish the minimum wage?
For
Pragmatic arguments
Youth unemployment is at a record high (16.2% for 16 - 24 year olds, compared to 5% across all age groups). The minimum wage discourages employers from hiring young people for entry level jobs which could get them started on employment and then make it easier for them to find other, better paid jobs.
The minimum wage also discourages people from starting new businesses which could give people more employment opportunities. It is slowing down economic growth.
Principled arguments
It is not the business of the government to tell employers how much they can offer their employees; nor is it the business of the government to tell people what wages they should accept.
Employers should be free to offer what they want, and employees should be free to accept what they want. If employers pay too little, they won’t be able to recruit anyone; the market will ensure a fair wage.
Against
Pragmatic arguments
The minimum wage stops employers exploiting people. Exploited employees will work less hard, be less loyal, provide poorer services. When people are well treated (which includes fair pay rates) they are more productive.
Minimum wage jobs are not just school leavers pulling pints or serving coffees for a couple of years while they live with their parents. Many people in these jobs have families to support. When they are not paid enough, they have to access benefits just to pay the rent or feed their children. If their wages are cut further, the benefits bill will rise, which will have to be paid for from taxes - so taxpayers will be subsidising employers who profit from exploiting their employees.
Principled arguments
It is wrong to pay people less than they need to live off. To pay people less than this shows a lack of respect for their humanity.
It is wrong for the state, or the Bank of Mum and Dad, to have to subsidise exploitative employers.
Many minimum wage jobs are in fact essential for the running of society. Look at how bus drivers, hospital cleaners, delivery drivers and shelf stackers all carried on working during the pandemic while everyone else stayed at home. We clapped for them every Thursday night then; the least we can do now is to pay them fairly.
Motions that go with this topic
This house would abolish the minimum wage
This house would abolish the minimum wage for under 25 year olds.
