Early years employers are gearing up to pay the latest increases in the National Minimum Wage (NMW), which goes up this month from 4.85 to 5.05 an hour for workers aged 22 and over, while the development rate, for workers aged 18-21 inclusive, rises from the current level of 4.10 to 4.25 an hour.
But leading figures in the sector are calling for urgent Government action to help childcare employers cope with further rises planned for next year.
'Obviously, like everybody else we welcome the increase in the NMW because we agree that it is unacceptable in the 21st century that we still have families in this country living in poverty,' says Rita Sutton, director of regional operations for the Pre-School Learning Alliance.
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