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Low Pay


For much of the last two decades, around one-in-five workers across Britain have been low paid – earning below two-thirds of the median hourly wage. Our work looks at changes in Britain’s low pay landscape, and the factors and levers that help people escape low pay, or get stuck in it. We also publish research on the impact of the real Living Wage, as part of our wider work on the labour market.

Contacts

Nye Cominetti

Principal Economist
T: 0203 372 2963
E: nye.cominetti@resolutionfoundation.org

Hannah Slaughter

Senior Economist
T: 0203 372 2903
E: hannah.slaughter@resolutionfoundation.org
Publications

Minimum wage, maximum pressure?

The impact of 2025’s minimum wage and employer NICs increases

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Looking ahead to the future of the minimum wage, we make four recommendations to the Government and the Low Pay Commission (LPC). First, tax policy should go with the grain…
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Events

Minimum wage, maximum pressure

Assessing short-term impacts and long-term plans for the UK’s wage floor

The minimum wage has been a big success story since its introduction in 1998 – but 2025 might be its trickiest year yet. The combination of increases to employer National…
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Publications

Low Pay Britain 2024

Examining the Government’s proposed employment reforms

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The Government is planning the largest set of workplace reforms in a generation, with plans to overhaul multiple areas of employment policy. These have the potential to make real inroads…
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Events

Making the ‘New Deal’ a good deal for low-paid workers

How should the Government deliver its planned changes to employment law?

Register to attend in person or to receive an access link. The Government has come into office promising major workplace reforms that could amount to the biggest shake-up of the…
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Comment

A one-year holding policy on the minimum wage signals a shift of focus to employment rights

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Today the Government published a new remit for the Low Pay Commission (LPC). The LPC are the independent body who recommend specific minimum wage rates to the Government – including…
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Events

Setting a high bar

Celebrating 25 years of the minimum wage, and plotting its next path

The introduction of the minimum wage back in April 1999 was a controversial policy choice, with businesses warning that it would lead to widespread job losses. But 25 years on,…
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Publications

Narrowing the youth gap

Exploring the impact of changes to the minimum wage on the incidence of low pay among young people

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In the Autumn Statement last month, the Chancellor announced big changes to the minimum wage. Alongside the announcement that the adult-rate minimum wage (the ‘National Living Wage’, or NLW) will…
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Events

The Innovation Job

Can new labour market institutions drive good work?

Nationally set minimum standards – from the minimum wage to holiday pay – make a real difference to the quality of low-paid work. But these reforms can only go so…
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