Should the self-employed be entitled to National Minimum Wage
Should the self-employed be entitled to a national minimum wage? This is a hot question currently being debated in the UK.
Should the national minimum wage for certain sections of self-employed people be extended, and isn’t the whole point of being self-employed about being able to set your own wage level and earn as much or as little as you want?
So where is all the heat in the heated debate?
In what is known as the ‘Gig’ economy, it appears that large numbers of self-employed workers are having their income restricted or governed by influences beyond their control by the organisation that they primarily work for.
The Resolution Foundation says that around half of the 4.8 million people currently classed as self-employed earn under £310 a week, and because many aren’t able to set their own wages the ‘Think Tank’ believes they should be treated as employed workers instead, with the wage protection and benefits that affords.
The Low Pay Commission and Confederation of British Industry believe this to be a good idea as more and more businesses are now joining the ‘Gig’ economy and using the self-employed as a way of avoiding paying a minimum wage and other employee contributions.
This would mean that self-employed people in the gig economy would be given protection against extreme low pay for the very first time.
The question and debate appears to have been triggered by disgruntled Uber taxi drivers who are all self-employed and have their rates dictated by the company who also take a percentage of earnings to cover overheads and provide a pretty good return.
Many Uber drivers claim that they are earning below the UK minimum wage level and have little chance of earning more due to the low fares and other factors.
But not everybody agrees!
Is this True?
Have your say below.
Should the minimum wage be applied to certain sections of the self-employed where their rates are set by outside controlling factors?
Comments below please.
