Green Party Sets £15 Minimum Wage Target for 2027, Critiques Labour's Reforms

The UK minimum wage currently stands at £12.71 per hour for workers aged 21 and over, £10.85 for 18‑ to 20‑year‑olds, and £8 for 16‑ to 17‑year‑olds. Labour’s 2024 manifesto promised to remove age‑based pay bands and increase the minimum wage for younger workers to match the rate for older groups, but ministers are weighing a delay after business groups warned of higher hiring costs.

The Green Party announces a plan to lift the minimum wage to £15 per hour for all employees, regardless of age, by April 2027. Green Party leader Zack Polanski said Labour's workers' rights measures are weak and have been watered down due to corporate lobbyist pressure. The party’s broader Worker's Charter includes protections against unfair dismissal from day one, bans on fire‑and‑rehire contracts, and an end to zero‑hour contracts.

If enacted, the £15 wage would raise earnings for roughly 4.5 million low‑paid workers and narrow the gap between age groups. Business groups may argue the increase raises labour costs, potentially affecting hiring and pricing. Observers will watch whether Labour revisits its wage plans, how the Green proposal influences parliamentary debate, and any upcoming cost‑impact analyses from the Treasury.