Scottish farm wages board proposes 6.6% pay rise

The Scottish Agricultural Wages Board has announced plans to increase the minimum hourly rate for all workers by 6.6% to £9.50.

This would be a rise of 59p/hour and equal to the UK government’s 2022 national living wage hourly rate.  

In addition, workers who undertake a Scottish Credit and Qualifications Framework level 4 or 5 or equivalent in agriculture or horticulture will have a minimum hourly rate of £5.95 – an increase of 37p/hour (6.6%). The dog allowance will be £7.01/week for each dog up to a maximum of four.

See also: How to find, keep and manage good farm staff

The additional sum will be £1.41/hour for workers who have appropriate qualifications (up from £1.32/hour), and the daily rate for the accommodation offset – for accommodation other than a house provided by an employer – will increase to £8.70 from £8.36.

Overtime rate will remain at one-and-a-half times the agreed hourly rate and will be a minimum of £14.25/hour.

The new rates will apply from 1 April 2022 and farmers have been encouraged to share their views on the change ahead of the wages board’s meeting in January.

To submit an opinion, email SAWB@gov.scot

Scott Walker, NFU Scotland chief executive, said: “These are big percentage increases that have been driven by the UK government raising the hourly rate of the national living wage. While many who work in the farming industry are already paid substantially above this minimum rate, what the increase will do is put in place a much higher base floor.

“It is essential that the rest of the supply chain takes the higher wage rates that need to be paid into account and reflects this in the price they pay for goods that leave the farm gate.

“It is all well and good raising wage rates, but farm businesses cannot absorb this extra cost and will need this to be reflected in what is paid for the produce that leaves the farm.”