1. April 2012 low pay estimates
- The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) low pay estimates for April 2012 show that there were 287 thousand jobs paid below the national minimum wage held by people aged 16 and over, which constitutes 1.1 % of all employee jobs in the UK labour market.
2. Summary of low pay jobs
The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) low pay estimates for April 2012 show that:
There were 287 thousand jobs with pay less than the national minimum wage held by people aged 16 and over. This constitutes 1.1 % of UK employee jobs.
There were 18 thousand jobs held by 16 to 17-year-olds (6.5 % of jobs in this age group) with pay less than £3.68 per hour.
For 18 to 20-year-olds, there were 58 thousand jobs with pay less than £4.98 per hour (5.2 % of jobs in this age group).
For employees aged 21 and over, there were 211 thousand jobs with pay less than £6.08 per hour (0.9 % of jobs held by those in this age group).
The national minimum wage (NMW) is a minimum amount per hour that most workers in the UK are entitled to be paid. There are different levels of NMW depending on a worker's age and whether they are an apprentice.
Back to table of contents3. Low pay among full-time and part-time employees and men and women
People in part-time work were nearly twice as likely as people in full-time work to be paid less than the minimum wage, with 1.7 % of part-time jobs and 0.9 % of full-time jobs falling below the minimum wage. Jobs held by women were more likely to be paid less than the minimum wage than jobs held by men (1.3 % compared with 0.9 %). This is consistent with the fact that a greater proportion of women work part-time than men.
Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK, April 2012
Men | Women | All Jobs | ||||
000s | % | 000s | % | 000s | % | |
Full-time | 94 | 0.8 | 66 | 0.9 | 160 | 0.9 |
Part-time | 30 | 1.6 | 97 | 1.7 | 127 | 1.7 |
All | 124 | 0.9 | 163 | 1.3 | 287 | 1.1 |
Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics |
Download this table Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK, April 2012
.xls (32.3 kB)4. Estimates for 2004 - 2012
The figures for 2012 show an increase of 16 thousand jobs with pay less than the national minimum wage compared with the estimates for 2011.
Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK 2004 - 2010
Age 16–17 | Age 18–21 | Age 22 and over | All jobs | |||||
000s | % | 000s | % | 000s | % | 000s | % | |
April 20041 | 44 | 2.3 | 233 | 1.0 | 276 | 1.1 | ||
April 20052 | 20 | 4.0 | 55 | 3.0 | 233 | 1.0 | 308 | 1.2 |
April 20063 | 14 | 3.8 | 44 | 2.3 | 238 | 1.0 | 296 | 1.2 |
April 20074 | 16 | 4.0 | 49 | 2.6 | 231 | 1.0 | 296 | 1.1 |
April 20085 | 16 | 3.9 | 46 | 2.5 | 212 | 0.9 | 274 | 1.0 |
April 20096 | 14 | 4.0 | 43 | 2.5 | 181 | 0.8 | 237 | 0.9 |
April 20107 | 16 | 5.6 | 50 | 3.0 | 203 | 0.9 | 269 | 1.0 |
Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics |
Download this table Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK 2004 - 2010
.xls (26.1 kB)
Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK 2011 - 2012
Age 16–17 | Age 18–20 | Age 21 and over | All jobs | |||||
000s | % | 000s | % | 000s | % | 000s | % | |
April 20118 | 15 | 5.7 | 49 | 4.4 | 207 | 0.8 | 272 | 1.1 |
April 20129 | 18 | 6.5 | 58 | 5.2 | 211 | 0.9 | 287 | 1.1 |
Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics |
Download this table Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK 2011 - 2012
.xls (37.9 kB)Notes for estimates for 2004 - 2012
Rate is £3.80 per hour (aged 18–21) or £4.50 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.00 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.10 per hour (aged 18–21) or £4.85 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.00 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.25 per hour (aged 18–21) or £5.05 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.30 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.45 per hour (aged 18–21) or £5.35 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.40 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.60 per hour (aged 18–21) or £5.52 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.53 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.77 per hour (aged 18–21) or £5.73 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.57 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.83 per hour (aged 18–21) or £5.80 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.64 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.92 per hour (aged 18–20) or £5.93 per hour (aged 21 and over).
Rate is £3.68 per hour (aged 16–17) or £4.98 per hour (aged 18–20) or £6.08 per hour (aged 21 and over).
5. Estimates for 1998 - 2003
For years prior to 2004, the survey did not include additional samples introduced to improve the ASHE coverage. Therefore, to yield the best available low pay estimate the ASHE-based estimate must be combined with the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Estimates for 1998 to 2003 provided by the central estimate of the ASHE and LFS are given below.
Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK 1998 - 2003
Age 18–21 | Age 22 and over | All jobs | ||||
000s | % | 000s | % | 000s | % | |
Spring 19981 | 110 | 7.2 | 1170 | 5.4 | 1280 | 5.6 |
Spring 19992 | 40 | 2.4 | 460 | 2.1 | 490 | 2.1 |
Spring 20002 | 30 | 2.2 | 190 | 0.9 | 230 | 1.0 |
Spring 20013 | 40 | 2.1 | 210 | 0.9 | 240 | 1.0 |
Spring 20024 | 50 | 2.7 | 290 | 1.3 | 340 | 1.4 |
Spring 20035 | 40 | 2.3 | 210 | 0.9 | 250 | 1.0 |
Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings and Labour Force Survey, Office for National Statistics |
Download this table Number and percentage of jobs paid below the national minimum wage in the UK 1998 - 2003
.xls (38.4 kB)Notes for estimates for 1998 - 2003
Figures for Spring 1998, before the national minimum wage was introduced, are for the number of jobs paid at less than £3.00 per hour (aged 18–21) or £3.60 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.00 per hour (aged 18–21) or £3.60 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.20 per hour (aged 18–21) or £3.70 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.50 per hour (aged 18–21) or £4.10 per hour (aged 22 and over).
Rate is £3.60 per hour (aged 18–21) or £4.20 per hour (aged 22 and over).