Primark has announced it will raise its minimum hourly wage for customer assistants across England, Scotland and Wales to £13 from 1st April, with London-based staff receiving £13.71. The move positions the budget fashion retailer alongside a growing number of UK supermarkets implementing a '£13 rule' ahead of the legal National Living Wage increase to £12.71 in April.
Kari Rodgers, Primark's UK retail director, said: '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 company noted that the new rates represent a more than 15 per cent hourly pay increase over three years, and staff will retain a 15/5 year-round discount along with enhanced family leave benefits.
Other major retailers are following suit. Aldi will pay store assistants £13.50 per hour nationally and £14.88 in London from April, benefiting around 28,000 employees. Lidl has unveiled a £29 million investment, lifting entry-level wages to £13.45 (rising to £14.45 with service) from March, with London rates starting at £14.80. Sainsbury's will increase hourly pay to £13.23 nationwide and £14.54 in London from March 2026, while M&S will raise wages to £13.41 nationally and £14.74 in London from April.
Tesco has not yet confirmed its 2026 pay awards, but speculation suggests shop assistant rates could rise to around £13.35 nationally and £14.71 in London. The supermarket chain has 3,000 stores and over 300,000 employees. The Real Living Wage, calculated by the Living Wage Foundation, currently stands at £13.45, which is above the government's new legal minimum.
