ALMOST 3 million workers are set to benefit from the “biggest ever” increase in the national living wage. According to data from the independent Low Pay Commission, the 51p increase in the living wage to

£8.72 from £8.21 is the largest since it was introduced in 2016. The previous biggest increase was in April 2016, when the rate rose from £6.70 to £7.20 per hour.

Younger workers receiving the minimum wage will see pay boosted by between 4.6 per cent and 6.5 per cent depending on age, with 21-24 year-olds seeing a 50p increase from £7.70 to £8.20.

Hannah Essex, co-executive director at the British Chamber of Commerce, said: “Businesses want to pay their staff a good wage. But many have struggled with increased costs in a time of great economic uncertainty. Raising wage floors by more than double the rate of inflation will pile further pressure on cashflow and eat into training and investment budgets.”