ils ▁were ▁abol ished ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁and ▁subsequently ▁replaced ▁with ▁a ▁single ▁stat ut ory ▁national ▁minimum ▁w age ▁by ▁the ▁National ▁Min imum ▁W age ▁Act ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁which ▁is ▁still ▁in ▁force . ▁The ▁rates ▁are ▁review ed ▁each ▁year ▁by ▁the ▁country ' s ▁Low ▁Pay ▁Commission . ▁From ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁the ▁minimum ▁w age ▁has ▁been ▁paid ▁as ▁a ▁mand atory ▁National ▁Living ▁W age ▁for ▁workers ▁over ▁ 2 5 . ▁It ▁is ▁being ▁ph ased ▁in ▁between ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁and ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁and ▁is ▁set ▁at ▁a ▁significantly ▁higher ▁level ▁than ▁previous ▁minimum ▁w age ▁rates . ▁By ▁ 2 0 2 0 ▁it ▁is ▁expected ▁to ▁have ▁ris en ▁to ▁at ▁least ▁£ 9 ▁per ▁hour ▁and ▁represent ▁a ▁full - time ▁annual ▁pay ▁equivalent ▁to ▁ 6 0 % ▁of ▁the ▁median ▁UK ▁ear nings . ▁The ▁National ▁Living ▁W age ▁is ▁never theless ▁lower ▁than ▁the ▁value ▁of ▁the ▁Living ▁W age ▁calculated ▁by ▁the ▁Living ▁W age ▁Foundation . ▁Some ▁organis ations ▁volunt arily ▁pay ▁a ▁living ▁w age ▁to ▁their ▁staff , ▁at ▁a ▁level ▁somewhat ▁higher ▁than ▁the ▁stat ut ory ▁level . ▁From ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁all ▁N HS ▁Wales ▁staff ▁have ▁been ▁paid ▁a ▁minimum ▁of ▁the ▁" l iving ▁w age " ▁recommended ▁by ▁the ▁Living ▁W age ▁Commission . ▁About ▁ 2 , 4