Primark staff to get 12% pay rise - including an important change for younger workers

The firm is increasing pay rates for all its hourly paid store staff to £11 an hour – a 12% increase against the same time last year.

The increase will come into force on April 1, when the new national living wage of £10.42 an hour – which applies for all workers aged 23 – comes into effect.

Kari Rodgers, UK retail director at Primark, said: "The people in our stores are vital to the success of Primark and we want all of our colleagues to continue to be competitively rewarded for their work.”

Alongside the rate increases, Primark said it will also move all its retail assistants onto one rate of pay, removing lower aged-related pay bands for workers under 23.

The retailer, which is owned by Associated British Foods, runs 419 stores.