Agricultural Minimum Wage Changes from 1 April 2024
All employed agricultural, horticultural and forestry workers in Wales, including workers employed by gang masters and employment agencies, are entitled to at least the Agricultural Minimum Wage.
It is a criminal offence to not pay agricultural workers at least the Agricultural Minimum Wage.
The Agricultural Wages (Wales) Order 2024 comes into force from 1 April 2024. It replaces the Agricultural Wages (Wales) Order 2023 and increases the minimum wage rates and allowances.
Minimum Wage Rates 2024/2025
From 1 April 2024 the National Living Wage will be extended to 21 and 22 year olds. The age bands of the Order have been amended accordingly and the 23 years+ age bands have been removed.
The minimum rates of pay for the five grades of Agricultural worker from 1 April 2024 are as follows:
| Category of Worker | £ per hour |
|---|---|
| A1 – Agricultural Development Worker (16-17 years) | £6.56 |
| A2 – Agricultural Development Worker (18-20 years) | £8.82 |
| A3 – Agricultural Development Worker (21 years+) | £11.73 |
| B1 – Agricultural Worker (16-17 years) | £6.56 |
| B2 – Agricultural Worker (18-20 years) | £8.82 |
| B3 – Agricultural Worker (21 years+) | £11.79 |
| C – Agricultural Advanced Worker | £12.27 |
| D – Senior Agricultural Worker | £13.46 |
| Agricultural Manager | £14.77 |
| Apprentice Year 1 | £6.40 |
| Apprentice Year 2 (16 – 17 years) | £6.40 |
| Apprentice Year 2 (18 – 20 years) | £8.60 |
| Apprentice Year 2 (21+ years) | £11.44 |
Allowance rates
| Allowance | Rate |
|---|---|
| Dog Allowance – per dog per week | £10.16 |
| Night Time Work Allowance – per hour of night work | £1.93 |
| Birth Adoption Allowance – for each child | £79.86 |
| Accommodation Offset Allowance (House) | £1.79 per week |
| Accommodation Offset Allowance (Other Accommodation) | £5.74 per day |
Other changes
- the overtime rate is now payable at 1.5 times the agricultural worker’s actual hourly rates of pay, rather than the minimum hourly rate of pay prescribed in the Order; and
- sections which repeat passages of other legislation have been removed to simplify the Order
Articles simplified are:
- Article 2 – definition of “child”
- Article 2 – definition of “working time”
- Article 28 – rest breaks
- Article 29 – daily rest
- Article 30 – weekly rest period
- Article 33 – amount of annual leave for agricultural workers with variable working days employed throughout the annual leave year
- Article 36 – holiday pay
More detailed information and guidance is available at Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales.