NMW rise positive but more must be done to reassure

The National Minimum Wage (NMW) is set to rise to £6.50 per hour tomorrow (Wednesday 1st October), a rise of 3%.

Inspiring Interns is delighted to see the NMW rise in accordance with inflation and rising living costs.

Ben Rosen, CEO of Inspiring Interns, said:

“Whilst we back the news of the NMW increase, it is key that employers are not put-off taking on new staff, particularly in the graduate space. We would like to see a new minimum wage for interns, much like that applicable to apprentices. If the NMW continues to rise employers will limit the opportunities available.”

To minimise the risk associated with hiring a new employee, many companies elect to pay graduates NMW for the internship period before moving them onto higher-paid positions that carry additional responsibilities. Inspiring Interns is a firm believer that placing blanket-restrictions on internships will limit opportunities for university-leavers. Hundreds of SMEs across the country with extremely limited budgets offer graduates invaluable internships that give graduates a firm grounding in their chosen industry with the real possibility of a job at the end of the internship. Coupled with rising wages, employers hiring graduates have every reason to be cautious in the current economic climate.

Visit https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates for more information.


About Inspiring Interns

Inspiring Interns is the UK's leading intern recruitment agency. We match ambitious graduates with growing companies across the UK. We work with companies ranging from big multinationals to brand new start-ups across the UK from our offices in London and Manchester.