The Agricultural Wages (Wales) Order 2025 comes into force from 1 April 2025 replacing the Agricultural Wages (Wales) Order 2024 and increases the minimum wage rates and allowances.
What's changing?
The key changes to note within the 2025 Order are:
- Increases in minimum pay rates for all grades, linked to the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage increases announced in the UK Government’s Autumn Budget on 30 October 2024
- Increases all allowances by 10%
- Simplifies provisions to clarify the rules governing overtime
- Removes the Pay Protection Provision introduced when the grading system changed in 2022
- Amends provisions around training costs
- Simplifies the calculation of annual leave entitlement and holiday pay for irregular hours and part-year workers
- Amends provisions for unpaid leave for caring responsibilities
All employed agricultural, horticultural and forestry workers in Wales, including workers employed by gang masters and employment agencies, are entitled to at least the Agricultural Minimum Wage.
Minimum rates of pay
The minimum rates of pay for Agricultural workers from 1 April 2025 are as follows:
| Category of worker | 2025 Rates |
| A1 – Agricultural Development Worker (16-17 years) | £7.55 |
| A2 – Agricultural Development Worker (18-20 years) | £10.00 |
| A3 – Agricultural Development Worker (21 years +) | £12.21 |
| B1 – Agricultural Worker (16-17 years) | £7.55 |
| B2 – Agricultural Worker (18-20 years) | £10.00 |
| B3 – Agricultural Worker (21 years +) | £12.59 |
| C – Agricultural Advanced Worker | £13.48 |
| D – Senior Agricultural Worker | £14.79 |
| E – Agricultural Manager | £16.23 |
The Minimum Rates of Pay for Apprentices from 1 April 2025 are as follows:
| Category of worker | 2025 Rates |
| Apprentice Year 1 | £7.55 |
| Apprentice Year 2 and beyond (16-17 years) | £7.55 |
| Apprentice Year 2 and beyond (18-20 years) | £10.00 |
| Apprentice Year 2 and beyond (21 years +) | £12.21 |
NFU Cymru position
NFU Cymru believes the role of a wages board/panel in setting wage rates is obsolete as a result of developments such as the National Minimum Wage, National Living Wage, Working Time Regulations, and other legislative safeguards. Our view is that the additional complexity of a wages order is not required in Wales.
However, that has not stopped us working alongside the FUW to design proposals to modernise and simplify the grading structure for agricultural workers in Wales. The current grading structure agreed as part of the 2022 Order is more relevant to the nature of agricultural work and qualifications that are available today compared to the previous grading structure.
The farming unions ensure that the interests of farming businesses are represented at meetings of the agricultural advisory panel and the subcommittee that deals with skills. Ahead of annual wage negotiations, normally held in September, the Unions make detailed written submissions and subsequently make oral representations to the panel alongside Unite who represent employees at the negotiations.
Further information
Further information on the the Agricultural Wages (Wales) Order 2025, including the new minimum wage rates, apprentice rates and allowances, alongside detailed guidance on issues such as the grading structure, overtime, training costs, holiday and sick pay can be found on the Welsh Government website.
The Agricultural Advisory Panel for Wales can also be contacted by phone on 0300 060 4400, e-mail at slmenquiries@gov.wales or via post to Agricultural Minimum Wage Team, Welsh Government, County Hall, Spa Road East, Llandrindod Wells, Powys, LD1 5LG.