The National Minimum Wage will rise by 11p to £6.19

The national minimum wage will rise by 11p to £6.19 an hour in October, the government has announced.

This is a rise of 1.8% from the current level, which is lower than the current inflation rate.

The minimum wage for workers aged under 21 will be unchanged – a decision that has been criticised by union leaders.

The freeze in the minimum wage for those aged under 21 means that from 1 October 2012
The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds will remain at £4.98 an hour

The rate for 16 and 17-year-olds will remain at £3.68 an hour

However, the rate for apprentices will rise by 5p to £2.65 an hour