On tax credit cuts from April 2016 for 2.62 million workers the minimum loss will £23.72 per week and the average loss will be £34 per week for 3.3 million working families says GMB.
GMB commented on the increase in the national minimum wage. See notes to editors for new rates from 1st October 2015.
Paul Kenny, GMB General Secretary, said "The additional 20p per hour for 1.4 million lower paid workers is welcome but as the Chancellor recognized £6.70 per hour is not a living wage. Employers like NEXT who can afford to pay a living wage should do so without delay.
The Government must also step up enforcement and enable trades unions and local councils to contact HMRC to report employers who are not paying the rate.
These same workers and their families face a serious loss of income from 1st April 2016 when tax credits are cut. GMB assess that for 2.62 million the minimum loss will £23.72 per week and that over time that the average loss will be about £34 per week for 3.3 million working families.
For the huge numbers of working families that will be hit by cuts in tax credits the answer is simple – they should join a union to fight for better pay from employers who can well afford it as Osborne confirmed. "
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Contact: Kamaljeet Jandu 07956 237178 or Lisa Johnson 07900392 228 or Martin Smith 07974 251722 or GMB Press Office: 07921 289880 or 07974 251823 or 020 7391 6755/56.
Notes to editors:
From Thursday 1 October 2015, the adult rate of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) will rise by 20p.
From Thursday 1 October 2015, the adult rate of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) will rise by 20 pence from £6.50 to £6.70 per hour, as recommended by the Low Pay Commission (LPC) in March 2015 this year.
From 1 October 2015:
the adult rate will increase by 20 pence to £6.70 per hour
the rate for 18 to 20 year olds will increase by 17 pence to £5.30 per hour
the rate for 16 to 17 year olds will increase by 8 pence to £3.87 per hour
the apprentice rate will increase by 57 pence to £3.30 per hour
the accommodation offset increases from the current £5.08 to £5.35.
