The National Living Wage is the legal minimum for workers aged 21 and over, with lower National Minimum Wage rates for younger workers and apprentices, and the rates usually rise each April on recommendations from the Low Pay Commission. Hospitality is one of the sectors most affected because so many roles sit at or near the floor.
Unpaid trial shifts, compulsory uniform costs, unpaid time for handovers or cash-ups and deductions for breakages can all push effective pay below the minimum, which HMRC enforces. Tips cannot be used to top pay up to the legal minimum.
What we ask on the show
- Is a minimum-wage job in hospitality a career or a stopgap?
- What's the sneakiest way you've seen a venue dodge minimum wage?
- How do you price a menu when wages rise every April?
- Are unpaid trial shifts ever okay?