Rural Payments and Services

Views sought on proposed increase.

A rise in the minimum wage rate for agricultural workers has been proposed by the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (SAWB).

If approved, the minimum rate of pay for agricultural workers with more than 26 weeks continuous employment will increase by 10p per hour to £7.24 from October 1, 2015 - bringing the minimum wage for a 39 hour week to £282.36.

Views are being sought on the proposed increase – which is in line with increases to the National Minimum Wage - by June 30, 2014.

It comes as the Scottish Government formally consults on the future of the SAWB.

The proposed headline minimum hourly rates are:

• £6.70 for all workers in the first 26 weeks of employment. This increase of 20p per hour is in line with increases to the National Minimum Wage. For overtime, the minimum hourly rate should rise to £10.05 (an increase of 30p per hour)

• £7.24 (an increase of 10p per hour) for all workers employed for more than 26 weeks by the same employer. For overtime, the minimum hourly rate should rise to £10.86 (an increase of 15p per hour)

• £4.02 (an increase of 6p per hour) for workers who undertake a Level 2 Modern Apprenticeship in Agriculture

• An additional £1.10 per hour (an increase of 2p per hour) for those workers with appropriate qualifications

Those working with dogs should receive an allowance of £5.49 per week for each dog (an increase of 8p per dog) up to a maximum of four dogs. The daily rate of the accommodation, off-set for accommodation other than a house, should rise to £5.35 per day (an increase of 34p per day) which is in line with the National Minimum Wage rate.