N Brown to pay National Living Wage to under 25s

As the National Living Wage has come into effect from April 1, 2016 onwards, under which the minimum wage is set at 7.20 pounds per hour for everyone above the age of 25, British e-tailer N Brown has announced it aims to increase the minimum wage for all its employees, regardless of age.

The online retailer, known for fashion labels such as Simply Be, JD Williams and Jacamo, has announced it is set to pay all of its 2,300 UK workers a minimum of 7.20 pounds per hour from today. The new, compulsory living wage was first announced by George Osborne during last year’s budget and will see the minimum pay increase to 9 pounds an hour for workers over the age of 25 by 2020.

“We’re applying the National Living Wage to all of our employees, regardless of age, as ultimately we think this is the right thing to do,” said N Brown Group People Director Caroline Massingham to the Manchester Evening News. Under the new National Living Wage, 117 N Brown workers would have received a pay rise, but the group decide to apply the wage hike to an additional 145 employees.

“The changes affect 262 of our colleagues from today (1 April), however that will increase over the next four years as the government aims for its 9 pounds an hour target by 2020,” added Massingham.