Editorials

#YEAR11PROBLEMS

4 April 2016

By Lauren E. White

The living wage

On Friday, our glorious leader Mr David Cameron (please note that this is sarcasm) brought in the living wage for workers aged 25 and above.

A living wage is, of course, a positive concept in society as it allows workers to earn enough money so that they can, well, live. Cameron’s living wage comes in at £7.20 per hour but has been criticised by the Living Wage Foundation as their figures show that the living wage should be £8.25 per hour.

However, the biggest fault with the living wage is that it discriminates against young people. Fact.

Unless you’re 25 and above, you’re not entitled to a wage that, by definition, is ‘high enough to maintain a normal standard of living’.

It should not be a privilege to be entitled to a normal standard of living, it should be at the heart of every country, government and society. But not with this government.

Some may argue that those who are under 25 don’t deserve it because they haven’t been paying into the system long enough. But I argue against age discrimination and believe that no matter what age, you should be entitled to this living wage.

Moreover, it discriminates against university students and graduates – not for the first time, either. Students are up to the neck in debt due to sky-high tuition fees and after university, when they are not guaranteed the job they studied for, they aren’t even entitled to a living wage for another four years.

Once again, this government has failed the young generation. And I’m not in the slightest surprised.

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