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Why is the minimum wage not enough?
2009 marks the tenth anniversary of The National Minimum Wage (NMW). NMW guarantees that all employers pay their employees a minimum rate set by the Government. Since 1 October 2008 this minimum rate has been £5.73 an hour for everyone over 22. NMW remains one of the Government's proudest achievements and it has improved the circumstances for many workers. Despite this, individuals and families earning the minimum wage struggle to make ends meet. Some have re-labelled the Minimum Wage as the 'Poverty Wage' because it is not high enough for individuals to support themselves or their families. 57 % of children in poverty live in a household where someone works. Because of low wages people are forced to make impossible choices.
In an effort to reduce in-work poverty the Government has recently increased the minimum wage from £5.52 to £5.73. Critics point out that whilst the increase of 3.08% is welcome, it is still lower than inflation at 4.7%. This means that workers on a minimum wage will actually see their real incomes falling. Therefore, despite an increase in salary, paying for the rising prices of food, energy, water, transport and travel will continue to be a struggle. The NMW protects workers from exploitative wages but fails to keep them out of poverty. It helps people to survive, but life should be more than a constant battle for survival.
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