Britain's first national minimum wage was launched last year amid much controversy. But ten months on the government has announced a rise in the wage as fears about its negative effects on the economy prove to be groundless.

Minimum wage set to rise
Minimal impact of minimum wage
Troubles ahead over minimum wage

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Archive reports The minimum wage was designed to improve the salaries of an estimated 20 million low-paid workers by an average 30%. In April 1999 BBC News Online looked at the background to its introduction.
Winners and losers
Policing the employers
The international approach
Q&A: Making sense of the minimum wage

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As politicians and the business community argued over the rights and wrongs of a national minimum wage, BBC News Online asked the low-paid what they thought about the changes to their income.
Top marks for homework
Small profit in cleaning up
Making motherhood pay

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As the minimum wage was launched business leaders and union men gave their opinion and predictions on the changing face of employment in Britain.
Unison: Just a beginning
FSB: 'Victory for small business'
TUC: Challenge for the future
BCC: Stranglehold on prosperity