Firms worried about minimum wage for trainees
A spokesperson for the chamber said "requiring all trainees to be paid the full minimum wage, regardless of experience or productivity" could reduce "meaningful training opportunities".They said the change could have "significant implications", especially for "young people entering the workforce for the first time who represent a vital part of Jersey's future workforce".
Before the change the minimum wage for first-year trainees was £7.87 an hour and £9.19 for second-year trainees, compared to a full rate of £10.50 in 2023.The States voted to get rid of the trainee rate in 2023 following a proposal from Deputy Max Andrews.Firms are currently able to apply for a £2,000 Better Business Grant to help cover each trainee's wages and up to £1,600 a year to help with course costs from a separate ongoing scheme.However, the £2,000 grants are due to finish at the end of 2026.The chamber said it had now launched a survey to understand the "real-world impact".
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
National Living Wage could rise next year in boost for UK workers
The National Living Wage could rise by up to 65p an hour from April next year, an advisory body has estimated. This would mean that a full-time worker could see an additional £1,400 annually The National Living Wage is set for a boost next year, with an advisory body predicting a potential increase of up to 65p an hour for UK workers. Currently, the rate stands at £12.21 per hour. The Low Pay Commission (LPC) has been tasked with raising the so-called national living wage, as ministers aim to provide "a genuine living wage." To avoid dipping below two-thirds of median earnings - a benchmark the Government insists on - the LPC suggests it should reach £12.71 by 2026. However, the LPC also recognises that economic fluctuations could see the national living wage climb to anywhere between £12.55 and £12.86 an hour. In other news, thousands of Brits to get letter from HMRC after new tax rule comes into force. In a letter, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds have instructed the committee to factor in the cost of living when considering adjustments to the national living wage, reports the Liverpool Echo. The government has expressed its commitment to ensuring that the minimum wage truly reflects a living wage, stating: "We continue to recognise that our ambition should be backed by evidence, and that the minimum wage rate should be consistent with delivering inclusive growth for working people and businesses alike." They further requested: "We are therefore asking the LPC to recommend a national living wage rate that is at least two-thirds of UK median earnings for workers aged 21 and over, to apply from next April." The minimum wage you earn per hour is determined by your age and if you're an apprentice. To be eligible for the National Minimum Wage, you must have reached school leaving age, and to receive the National Living Wage, you need to be aged 21 or above, with workers aged 20 and under still falling under the minimum wage bracket. As of April 1, 2025, a wage boost was felt by around three and a half million workers, though the actual increase on payslips will differ from person to person. The National Living Wage saw a rise from £11.44 to £12.21 per hour. Since 2024, people aged 21 and up have been entitled to this rate, a change from the previous threshold of 23 years old. The government claims that this hike means a full-time worker could see an additional £1,400 annually. For younger workers, those between 16 and 20 years old, the National Minimum Wage applies, with varying rates based on their age. READ MORE: Today (August 5, 2025), the government released the Low Pay Commission's guidelines for the future rates of both the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW), set to take effect from April 2026. Regarding the National Living Wage, the remit outlines: "The government is committed to raising the living standards of working people and this is the key focus of the Government's Growth Mission." It continues, stating: "That is why the government asks the Low Pay Commission to ensure that the National Living Wage rate does not drop below two-thirds of UK median earnings for workers in the National Living Wage population, a recognised measure of low hourly pay." "The Low Pay Commission should take into account the cost of living, inflation forecasts between April 2026 and April 2027, the impact on the labour market, business and competitiveness, and carefully consider wider macroeconomic conditions." In related news, the government is advancing its agenda to abolish "discriminatory" age banding in minimum wage structures, broadening the Low Pay Commission's (LPC) scope to review this issue. The LPC has been tasked to engage with employers, trade unions, and workers to discuss reducing the disparity between the national living wage and the minimum wage for those aged 18 to 20, which currently stands at £10. Additionally, there are specific minimum wage rates for individuals under 18 and apprentices, set at £7.55.
Powys County Times
3 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Service industry growth slows as firms hit by ‘sluggish' demand
Activity in the UK's service sector lost momentum last month as firms reported 'sluggish' demand, according to new figures. The S&P Global UK services PMI survey scored 51.8 in July, dipping from a reading of 52.8 in June. Any reading above 50 means the sector is growing while a score below means it is contracting. It was stronger than expected by economists, who had predicted a reading of 51.2. The influential survey nevertheless pointed to slowing business activity in the face of 'sluggish demand at home and abroad' amid another fall in new work for businesses in the sector. Companies reported the fastest decrease in their order books for around two-and-a-half years. Tim Moore, economics director at S&P Global Market Intelligence, said: 'UK service providers recorded a third consecutive monthly rise in business activity but they were unable to maintain the growth rate achieved in June. 'Risk aversion and low confidence among clients were the main reasons provided for sluggish sales pipelines, alongside an unfavourable global economic backdrop. 'Hiring trends were especially subdued, with total workforce numbers decreasing to the greatest extent since February.' Surveyed firms cautioned that 'elevated global economic uncertainty' contributed to subdued confidence among clients and increased headwinds. The fresh figures also showed another reduction in staffing levels, which firms linked to a combination of weaker demand and higher costs. Matt Swannell, chief economic adviser to the EY Item Club, said: 'The underlying pace of growth appears sluggish and is expected to remain that way. 'The services survey also reported a slight pickup in output price inflation in July, as businesses sought to pass on the impact of higher labour costs, although a 0.25 percentage point rate cut at the MPC's (Monetary Policy Committee) meeting later this week is almost certain.'
Telegraph
7 hours ago
- Telegraph
How Manchester's ‘sassy little sister' finally came of age
'We're like Manchester's sassy little sister,' said Councillor Hannah Robinson-Smith, lead member for culture, heritage, equalities, sports and leisure at Salford City Council, as she talked me through what makes the city of Salford unique. Sprawling for 37 square miles, from its border with Manchester city centre to the east (the River Irwell marks much of this), Trafford to the south, Wigan to the west, and Bury and Bolton to the north, Salford will celebrate its centenary of being granted city status in 2026, with a year-long programme showcasing what makes it great. And there's a lot to celebrate. The latest figures from Marketing Manchester show that in 2023 there were eight million total visits to Salford and that the visitor economy was valued at £1 billion (up 10 per cent and 42 per cent respectively compared to the previous year). The Salford Riviera One neighbourhood key to this success is the waterside Quays and MediaCity, home to the BBC. The docks here, on the Manchester Ship Canal, were once a global trading route connecting Salford to the rest of the world. Closed in 1982, the dockland was reinvented in 2000 when The Lowry arts centre opened. It now houses two theatres and the biggest public collection of its namesake's paintings in the world. Currently celebrating its 25 th year, Marketing Manchester data placed The Lowry as the most visited attraction in Greater Manchester in 2023 with 938,314 visitors – more than Manchester city centre big-hitters, including Manchester Art Gallery. Talking about its location, Julia Fawcett, CEO of The Lowry, told me: 'Being based in Salford means being at the heart of a youthful city that is constantly innovating and embracing change. 'The transformation we've seen in Salford over the past 25 years, since The Lowry opened in 2000, is remarkable. Our audiences and visitors have become more diverse and engaged, reflecting the vibrant evolution of the city itself.' Other attractions in The Quays and MediaCity include the Imperial War Museum North, the Coronation Street Experience and the Stories – Brought to Life immersive art experience. Newcomers, such as food hall Kargo MKT – which opened in 2023 and is home to 19 independent traders, serving everything from Palestinian and Caribbean cuisine to bubble tea – keep the area thriving. I asked Rebecca Allison, marketing director for Blend Family, the team behind Kargo MKT, why the group chose Salford as its location. She said: 'The Salford Riviera isn't just a beautiful scenic backdrop; it's one of Europe's most successful water regeneration projects. It's a vibrant area, home to thousands of residents and a growing cultural hub.' The invention of the weekend An exciting event in the neighbourhood is the free, bi-annual We Invented the Weekend festival, which celebrates the joy of free time. It pays homage to the fact that the weekend was created in Salford in 1843 after a campaign by workers' rights activist Robert Lowes for workers to have the right to leisure time on Saturday afternoons. Another Salford attraction that draws huge numbers of visitors is the RHS Garden Bridgewater, which opened in May 2021 in the leafy village of Worsley. Here there's a Paradise Garden by landscape architect Tom Stuart-Smith, an 11-acre walled garden, a woodland play area and more. In keeping with Salford's focus on people, there's free entry for Salford residents every Tuesday with a booking. Talking about its Salford base, Marcus Chilton-Jones, RHS Garden Bridgewater curator, told The Telegraph: 'It was the hands-down winner from all of the locations we saw for several reasons. A combination of its built and storied heritage, fantastic landscape potential, and incredible scale at 154 acres made it the perfect choice for an RHS garden… most of all, the overwhelming local community support marked the place out as uniquely special and a must-have for the RHS'. In the east of the city, the Chapel Street neighbourhood, which stretches from its border with Manchester's centre to Salford University Crescent Campus, epitomises Salford's rapid regeneration. Here there are buzzy restaurants and cafes, the music and arts venue Islington Mill, and Salford Museum and Art Gallery, where there's a recreated Victorian street, plus varied art exhibitions. I spoke to Nic Box, a graphic designer and DJ who moved to Chapel Street in 2021. They said: 'It's incredible to see the transformation of Chapel Street and Salford as a whole from when I moved here. 'In addition to the established historic pubs, new coffee shops, restaurants and bars seem to appear overnight, and there's always something happening. 'It all really creates a sense of opportunity and community right on my doorstep. For a creative, it feels like an increasingly vibrant and exciting place to live.' Quiet confidence and no gimmicks One new favourite on the university campus is The Old Fire Station, which opened in 2023, serving homemade pastries and brunch, plus craft beers brewed in its on-site Lark Hill Brewery. I asked Michael Brown, director of strategic partnerships at the University of Salford what makes the café and its setting stand out? 'The city has a strong sense of place. It's got quiet confidence, real community pride, and no interest in gimmicks. It's a city that welcomes quality and effort, and that's exactly what we aim to reflect at The Old Fire Station,' he said. This quiet confidence means that Salford embraces its nickname 'the other city' when compared to older sibling Manchester – it runs an annual festival of new music and art called Sounds From The Other City. 'We're unique and up-and-coming,' Robinson-Smith said, while discussing Salford's ambitions to become a Unesco Creative City. 'I just love the city. I'm proud to represent it.' Where to stay in Salford The Lowry Hotel Like a true Mancunian, this five-star hotel has a swagger without being pretentious and is fiercely proud of its roots. Rooms from £146 per night. Read our review. Delta Hotels Worsley Park Country Club Unwinding is easy in this sprawling golf and spa hotel in the Salford village of Worsley. Rooms from £119 per night. Read out review. Read our review. CitySuites II
