Employment measures to boost 420,000 young workers, new research suggests

The TUC said that announcements such as the move to ensure all adult workers are paid the same minimum wage rate will help narrow the pay gap between workers aged 18-20 and older employees

Around 420,000 young workers are expected to reap the rewards of new government employment measures, new analysis has revealed.

Such measures include unifying the minimum wage rate for all adult workers, which aims to bring an end to the wage disparity experienced by those aged between 18-20 compared with their older counterparts, the TUC has announced. As it stands, the pay gap is set to shrink from £2.84 per hour to just £2.21, the union body reported.

With the Employment Rights Bill progressing to its committee phase this Tuesday, the TUC pointed out that their study found that workers aged between 16-24 are nearly four times as likely to be on a zero-hours contract. Paul Nowak, TUC general secretary, commented: "Hundreds of thousands of young workers are currently suffering a huge pay penalty because of an outdated and discriminatory system."

He said "They shouldn’t be getting less for doing the same work as other workers. This is something that unions have been campaigning to change for years and the Government is right to tackle this injustice."

The proposed Employment Rights Bill is set to address issues of precarious employment, particularly affecting younger employees, according to Labour. Justin Madders, Minister for Employment Rights, Competition and Markets, confirmed the government's stance stating: "A fair day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay and that’s why we’re taking action to boost the pay of younger workers, working in conjunction with business. We’re changing people’s lives for the better because we know that investing in the workforce leads to increased productivity, better resilience and ultimately a stronger economy primed for growth."

The TUC mentioned their research suggests that around 420,000 young workers aged between 18 to 20 in the UK will "significantly benefit" from the government's new measures.