Question to the Cabinet Office:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many civil service employees are paid the minimum wage; and what the implementation of the National Living Wage for civil servants will cost.

The Government is committed to helping the lowest paid. We are the first government to introduce a compulsory Living Wage. From 1^st April 2016, the new National Living Wage was introduced for workers aged 25 and above, initially set at £7.20 per hour.

The Chancellor announced a further increase to the National Living Wage in the Autumn Statement. As of 1^st April 2017, the National Living Wage will be set at £7.50 per hour.

The Low Pay Commission advises the Government on the rate of annual increases required to achieve a National Living Wage that will represent 60% of median earnings by 2020. The Low Pay Commission amended its recommendations this year to meet this target, based on the latest market forecasts. In light of these changes, government departments are currently reviewing the cost and number of civil servants that will benefit from future National Living Wage increases.