The government has announced this week that the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for workers aged 22 and over will rise by 7p, or 1.2%, to £5.80 an hour. The new rate will come into effect on October 1st 2009 with the rate for 18-21 year-olds rising from £4.77 to £4.83, while for 16 and 17 year olds, the statutory rate will increase from £3.53 to £3.57. From October 2010, the adult statutory minimum rate will also apply to 21-year-olds. All apprentices aged 16-18, and those aged 19 and over in their first year as an apprentice, are currently exempt from being paid the NMW, although employers are required to pay apprentices a minimum of £80 per week, which will increase to £95 per week from August 2009. The Low Pay Commission has recently reviewed the apprenticeship exemption from the NMW and has recommended that a National Minimum Wage for apprentices should be introduced.