Hunt confirms plans to increase the national living wage

ODN

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt used his speech to confirm plans to increase the national living wage for over-23s to at least £11 an hour and impose tougher conditions on benefits.  But alongside that he will look again at the benefit sanctions regime to make it harder for people to claim welfare while refusing to take “active steps” to move into work, with proposals due to be set out in November's Autumn Statement.   Report by Covellm. Like us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/itn and follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/itn

Transcript

00:00 There's somewhere else where we need to rethink the way the state works, our welfare

00:05 system.

00:06 I'm proud to live in a country where, as Churchill said, there's a ladder everyone

00:12 can climb, but also a safety net below which no one falls.

00:18 That safety net is paid from tax.

00:21 And that social contract depends on fairness to those in work, alongside compassion to

00:29 those who aren't.

00:31 And that means work must pay.

00:34 It isn't fair that someone who refuses to look seriously for a job gets the same as

00:39 someone trying their best.

00:43 Today I take a step forwards towards completing another great Conservative reform, the National

00:50 Living Wage.

00:52 We promised in our manifesto to raise the National Living Wage to two-thirds of median

00:57 income, ending low pay in this country.

01:00 At the moment it's £10.42 an hour.

01:03 And we're waiting for the Low Pay Commission to tell us next year's recommendation.

01:08 But I confirm today, whatever that recommendation, we'll increase the National Living Wage

01:14 to at least £11 an hour next year.

01:17 That's a pay rise for two million workers.

01:21 And the wages of the lowest paid are over £9,000 higher than they were in 2010.

01:27 Because if you work hard, a Conservative government will always have your back.

01:32 [APPLAUSE]

Transcript

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