Guernsey adult minimum wage to rise to £10.65 an hour

The minimum wage for adults will rise to £10.65 from 1 October

Guernsey's adult minimum wage is set to go up to £10.65 from £9.55 an hour at the start of October 2023.

The lower limit for people under 18 is also set to go up to £9.65 from £8.95.

The proposals were supported by 37 States members with two deputies voting against.

Representatives of Guernsey's hospitality and construction industries had lobbied against the proposals, arguing they would increase costs for businesses and customers.

'Expensive island'

Deputy Simon Vermuelen, a former hotelier and tourism representative on the Committee for Economic Development, said businesses were "feeling headwinds".

He added: "Interest rates have gone up, people are being far more careful with what they spend.

"Somebody that dined out three times a week is now going out one time a week."

He warned that some employers he had spoken to told him increases to the minimum wage would lead to "£10 pints" and "£25 beef burgers".

"We have to be careful about how much we put on employers in this island," he said.

Employment and Social Security President Deputy Peter Roffey told the States the increase was "moderate".

He added: "In our expensive island, if any employer thinks it's acceptable to be pitching their wage structure below that, they should have a look at themselves."

Committee for Economic Development President Deputy Inder also voted against the policy, believing it was not based on "evidence" and instead "driven by ideology".