National living wage increase should be delayed, says IFS
by Larry Elliott Economics editor from Economics | The Guardian on (#517B1)
Thinktank says move could prevent workers from being laid off in coronavirus crisis
Next month's planned increase in the national living wage should be delayed to prevent struggling businesses from laying off workers during the Covid-19 crisis, the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has said.
The thinktank said the above-inflation increase from 8.21 to 8.72 an hour threatened jobs and ran counter to the policies announced by the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to keep people in work. It said the rate may even need to be cut for the duration of the emergency.
Related: Coronavirus benefits, sick pay and lost hours: your rights in the UK
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