Millions of workers waking up to £1,400 pay rise with exact date announced

Millions of workers will wake up to a £1,400 pay rise as the exact date is announced. New Labour Party Chancellor Rachel Reeves says millions of workers across the UK are set to receive a significant pay boost next year in April, when the new financial year starts.

Ms Reeves has confirmed an increase in the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage. From April 2025, the National Living Wage will rise by 6.7 per cent to £12.21 per hour, which is worth £1,400 a year for an eligible full-time worker.

National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds will also see a record-breaking increase, rising from £8.60 to £10.00 per hour. This £1.40 boost represents the largest increase in the rate on record, potentially adding £2,500 to the annual earnings of full-time younger workers eligible for this rate.

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Ms Reeves said: "This Government promised a genuine living wage for working people. This pay boost for millions of workers is a significant step towards delivering on that promise." Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds added: "Good work and fair wages are in the interest of British business as much as British workers.

"This Government is changing people's lives for the better because we know that investing in the workforce leads to better productivity, better resilience and ultimately a stronger economy primed for growth." Hilary Jones, Ethics Director at Lush Cosmetics, commented on the wage increase saying: "In these tough times where the cost of living continues to rise, it is great to see the Government increase minimum wage closer to these calculations to support the hardest working and most vulnerable workers across the UK."

It comes as Reeves has warned of "difficult decisions" ahead of her Budget, which she delivers in the Commons in Parliament today (Wednesday October 30) to much anticipation and rumour.