Two thirds of Britons say minimum wage for 18–20-year-olds should be the same as for over 20s

New YouGov polling finds that a significant majority of the British public think people aged 18-20 should have the same minimum wage as people aged over 21.

The government has asked the Low Pay Commission to draw up plans to eliminate the £2 per hour gap between the minimum wage for 18 to 20-year-olds and that of their older counterparts.

One in five (22%) say there should be a lower minimum wage for people aged under 21, while two thirds (67%) say there should be the same minimum wage for all people over 18. One in nine (11%) don’t know.

A majority of supporters from all the major parties support equalising the minimum wage, although Conservative and Reform voters are more likely to think it should be lower for 18-20 year olds.

Do you think people aged 18-20 should have a lower minimum wage than people aged over 21, or should the same minimum wage apply to all people over the age of 18?

Conservative
Labour
Lib Dem
Reform UK
Should be a lower minimum wage for people aged under 21
36%
18%
22%
31%
Should be the same minimum wage for people aged under 21
55%
74%
66%
62%
Don’t know
9%