A Labour government will change the remit of the Low Pay Commission so that the minimum wage will for the first time reflect the need for working people’s pay to at least cover the cost of living.

The increase will come as a boost to many people in Peterborough which has lower wages than many other neighbouring areas.

You can read more about Labour’s plans in this joint article by Labour Deputy Leader and Shadow Secretary of State for the Future of Work Angela Rayner and Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves who have pledged Labour would “make work pay again”.

Boosting wages and bringing more secure jobs to the city is part of Labour’s priority for Peterborough. In recent years, too many skilled engineering and other local jobs have been replaced by lower-paid, less secure work.

From April 2016 the government introduced a higher minimum wage rate for all staff over 25 – calling it the ‘National Living Wage’.

However, this wage is not calculated according to what employees and their families need to live. Instead, it is based on a target to reach 66% of median earnings by 2024.

Under the plan Labour would keep a link to median earnings, so that all workers benefit from growth – and ensure this genuine National Living Wage applied to every adult worker.

As of April 2022, the National Living Wage is £9.50 for all over 23s, while the National Minimum Wage is £9.18 for those aged 21-22 and just £6.83 for those aged 18-20.

Labour government in power will change the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) remit so that – alongside median wages and economic conditions – the minimum wage will for the first time reflect the need for working people’s pay to at least cover the cost of living.