'Five-fold increase’ in number of workers earning below minimum wage, claims Leeds MP

New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show the number of people paid below the minimum wage in the region increased to an estimated 187,000 people, up from 36,000 in 2019.

But even when not including furloughed workers, the numbers earning below minimum wage still more than doubled to 75,000.

Across the UK, more than two million workers now earning less than the current minimum wage of £8.72 per hour for those aged 25 and over, up from 410,000 in 2019. Even when not including furloughed workers, this number increases to 751,000.

With well over one million furloughed workers earning below minimum wage, Leeds East MP Richard Burgon has called for a ‘wage floor’ in the scheme, meaning those who are furloughed cannot be paid below a certain amount.

He said: “These shocking figures show that this crisis is being paid for on the backs of low paid workers.

“No worker should ever be paid less than the National Minimum Wage but it’s sadly all too common now with thousands of families in our region forced into further poverty through no fault of their own.

“I have been calling on the Chancellor to introduce a wage floor in the furlough scheme to ensure no worker gets paid less than the minimum wage.

“It’s called the minimum wage for a reason – the Government needs to act quickly to ensure that nobody is paid less than it.”

Last week, the government announced it was going to reintroduce its Covid jobs retention scheme until December, with employees receiving 80 percent of their current salary up to a maximum of £2,500.

In addition, business premises forced to close in England are to receive grants worth up to £3,000-per-month under the Local Restrictions Support Grant. The government adds £1.1bn is being given to local authorities, distributed on the basis of £20-per-head, for one-off payments to enable them to support businesses more broadly.

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