Primark rolled out a £13 minimum wage across its UK stores in April, delivering a welcome boost for the high street giant’s workforce. From Wednesday, April 1, the budget fashion retailer bumped up its average hourly pay to a minimum of £13 for all retail assistants throughout England, Scotland and Wales, rising to £13.71 per hour for those working in London.
The retailer, which operates more than 190 branches nationwide, confirmed that alongside the hourly rate increase, staff will continue to enjoy a 15% discount all year round, plus a range of additional perks. Commenting on the announcement, Kari Rodgers, UK retail director at Primark, said: “As retail becomes a more demanding environment, our colleagues play an increasingly important role to support our customers and the local communities we’re part of up and down the country.
View 3 ImagesPrimark has more than 190 stores across the UK.(Image: Getty)
“By investing in increasing colleague pay, we hope this goes some way towards recognising their hard work, commitment and the value they bring every day.”
The move came as a wave of retailers simultaneously raised wages for shop floor staff, as British households continue to feel the squeeze from the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.
Aldi, for instance, lifted pay for store assistants at its UK branches to at least £13.50 per hour.
For staff working inside the M25 this has risen to £14.88, reports the Express.
Pay rates climb further to £14.47 and £15.20 respectively, depending on length of service.
Aldi previously confirmed the change would benefit 28,000 hourly-paid store workers, representing the second pay rise for Aldi staff in 2026 alone, following January’s announcement of improved rates and extended maternity pay to 26 weeks at full pay.
View 3 ImagesThe high street chahas raised average hourly pay rates in England, Wales, and Scotland(Image: Getty)
The German grocery giant claims its offering surpasses that of its rivals, though several other major supermarket chains have also boosted wages for their employees.
The pay increase coincided with the National Living Wage (for those aged 21 and over) rising to £12.71.
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Under the new National Minimum Wage, 18-20 year olds saw their hourly rate climb to £10.85.
Meanwhile, apprentices and under-18s began receiving a minimum of £8 per hour.