Minimum wage to increase to £6.31

The national minimum wage is to rise by 12p an hour to £6.31 for adults and by 5p to £5.03 for 18-to-20-year-olds from October, the government has announced.

Business secretary Vince Cable said the government accepted the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission.

However, although the Commission said rate for apprentices should be frozen, Mr Cable said it would rise by 3p to £2.68 an hour. The increases are below current inflation levels.