To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to consider providing a therapeutic exemption from the National Minimum Wage for registered charities, or social enterprises, that establish sheltered employment for those with disabilities.
Answered on
23 July 2015
The following occupations are exempted under Part 6 of the National Minimum Wage Regulations 2015 from being paid National Minimum Wage:
· self-employed people running their own business
· company directors
· volunteers or voluntary workers
· workers on a government employment programme, e.g. the Work Programme
· family members of the employer living in the employer’s home
· non-family members living in the employer’s home who share in the work and leisure activities, are treated as one of the family and aren’t charged for meals or accommodation, eg au pairs
· workers younger than school leaving age (usually 16)
· higher and further education students on a work placement up to 1 year
· workers on government pre-apprenticeships schemes
· people on the following European Union programmes: Leonardo da Vinci, Youth in Action, Erasmus, Comenius
· people working on a Jobcentre Plus Work trial for 6 weeks
· members of the armed forces
· share fishermen
· prisoners
· people living and working in a religious community
The Government has no plans to change this list.