Prime Minister Boris Johnson has promoted the new national minimum wage on a visit to a B&Q store in Teesside.
"It's the fastest growth in incomes for people on low wages for 20 years or so," he said.
Around two million of the UK's lowest-paid workers will receive a pay rise of 2.2% to £8.91 an hour.
"That's very important, part of the levelling-up agenda, building back better, helping families through what has unquestionably been a tough time," he added.
Report by Thomasl.
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