Understanding Minimum Wage: Your Rights and Rates

Understanding Minimum Wage: Your Rights and Rates

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson you will understand the age requirements and current rates for the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage.

What do you already know about minimum wage laws?

Minimum Wage Basics

There are different minimum wage rates based on age and apprenticeship status.

Age Requirements

You must be at least school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage, and aged 21 to get the National Living Wage.

Current Rates

The rates change on 1 April every year. For April 2024, the rates are: £11.44 for 21 and over, £8.60 for 18 to 20, £6.40 for under 18, and £6.40 for apprentices.

Apprenticeship Rules

Apprentices aged under 19 or in the first year of their apprenticeship are entitled to the apprentice rate.

Previous Rates

Discuss the rates for the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage from previous years, highlighting the changes over time.

Who Gets the Minimum Wage

Review the information on who is entitled to the minimum wage, emphasizing the importance of compliance with the law.

Interactive Activity

Use the minimum wage calculator to check whether the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage is being paid.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.