Rise in UK minimum wage leaves millions short of real living wage

Lowest-paid will be £1,000 short of the figure paid by some employers to reflect actual household costs

Millions of UK workers will still be left more than £1,000 a year short of a real living wage, despite the biggest cash boost in the minimum wage set by the government for more than a decade.

The “national living wage” (NLW) is increasing from Monday from £10.42 to £11.44 an hour, and is being expanded to cover younger workers with a cut in the age threshold from 23 to 21. The increase is worth £1,800 a year for a full-time adult worker.