Proposed pay increases for NI farmworkers announced

The Agricultural Wages Board (AWB) for Northern Ireland has announced proposed minimum wage increases for agricultural workers, set to take effect on 1 April 2025.

The new rates, agreed during a board meeting on 3 February, reflect an increase across several employment grades.

For Grade 1 workers, which applies to those with less than 40 weeks cumulative employment, the proposed rates are £8/hour for workers under 18, £10/hour for 18-20-year-olds, and £12.21/hour for those over 21.

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Meanwhile, the other grades will see the following adjustments: Grade 2 workers will earn £12.50/hour, Grade 3 lead workers will earn £12.73/hour, and Grade 4 craft workers will receive £12.98/hour.

Supervisory Grade workers (Grade 5) are set for £13.37/hour, while Farm Management Grade workers (Grade 6) will receive £13.90/hour.

The accommodation offset has also been raised to £54.71 per week. In cases where the national minimum wage or national living wage surpasses the newly proposed rates, the higher rate will apply.

Workers and stakeholders can send objections to these proposals by 4 March 2025 to the AWB Secretariat. A final decision will be made on 7 March 2025, after which the new rates will come into effect on 1 April 2025.

The Agricultural Wages Board, established under the Agricultural Wages (Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977, sets the minimum wage rates for agricultural workers. The board includes members from Daera, the Ulster Farmers’ Union, and Unite the Union.