National minimum wage

Adult rate �4.10/hr Youth rate �3.50/hr 10p/hr increase planned in October 2002

The TUC said that younger employees' lack of awareness of their minimum pay entitlements may tempt some bosses to take advantage of them.

"Young people seem to know little about the minimum wage. The worry is that rogue employers will exploit their ignorance," said TUC General Secretary John Monks.

Employers opposed

The Labour government introduced the minimum wage in 1999 as part of a bid to boost the income of low-paid workers.

The minimum wage, initially set at �3.10 and hour for 18-21-year-olds, and �3.60 an hour for older workers, was raised to �3.50 and �4.10 an hour respectively in October last year.

The youth and adult rates are both set to rise by a further 10p an hour in October 2002.

Independent research has shown [the minimum wage] is one of the best known of all government initiatives

Government spokesman

Employer groups fiercely resisted the introduction of the minimum wage, arguing that it would lead to an increase payroll costs and exclude hundreds of thousands of unskilled workers from the job market.

But most business lobbies have since come to accept minimum wage regulations, while continuing to oppose further increases in the minimum rate.

Government reaction

Trade unions, in contrast, argue that the minimum wage remains too low to help the poorest paid workers. Union leaders have in the past called for the adult rate to be raised to �5 an hour.

The government sets the level of the minimum wage based on the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, an expert panel made up of business figures, trade union leaders, and academics.

The Department of Trade and Industry on Thursday rejected the findings of the TUC survey.

"Independent research has shown [the minimum wage] is one of the best known of all government initiatives, and it is now a permanent and accepted part of the labour market, " a spokesman said.