The Low Pay Commission has launched its consultation to inform recommendations on National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates for April 2027, with a particular focus on labour market conditions, business impacts and youth employment prospects.
Government also published a short report looking at the immediate impacts of the new NMW rates.
As in previous years, the BRC will submit a written response on behalf of members, and provide oral evidence to commissioners.
Our submission will informed by evidence collected through the BRC HR Benchmark (Q1 2026), to ensure retailers’ experience of pay pressures, workforce planning and affordability is clearly reflected in our response. Please make sure to respond to the HR Benchmark, to ensure your experience is reflected in our response – follow this link to do so.
We encourage members to respond directly to the consultation alongside BRC’s submission, as employer‑level evidence remains critical to shaping balanced recommendations.
We would also welcome conversations with members to discuss key issues raised by the consultation, including:
- youth employment prospects and entry‑level roles,
- the interaction between minimum wage policy and changes under the Employment Rights Act, and
- the wider economic environment facing retail employers.
If you would like to discuss these areas or contribute with evidence to inform our response, please reach out to me at Luiza.Gomes@brc.org.uk.
