Coronavirus: Impact on the labour market
This paper tracks the evolving impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the labour market.

The National Minimum Wage Bill 2019-21 was introduced by Paula Barker MP following the Private Members' Bills Ballot on 9 January 2020. First reading took place on 5 February 2020. The Bill's second reading was due to take place on 15 January 2021, but was cancelled following an Order of the House on 13 January 2021. We do not have a date for the rearranged Second Reading.
Bill summary
A Bill to make provision about the national minimum wage; and for connected purposes.
The Library will produce a briefing or material for the second reading debate and this page will be updated when it is made available.
The second reading paper may be updated as the Bill goes through Parliament; alternatively additional papers will be added to this page to reflect the Bill’s progress
Further reading
Private Members Bills: MPs lose chance to pitch their laws, BBC News, 13 January 2021
The National Minimum Wage Bill: What it is, why it’s needed, and how it could be strengthened, Institute of Employment Rights, 29 October 2020
Why I’m introducing the national minimum wage bill, By Paula Barker MP, Labour List, 27 October 2020
Private Members’ Bill ballot , 9 January 2020
The National Minimum Wage: rates and enforcement, House of Commons Library Briefing, 11 April 2018
Websites
Progress of Bill – Parliamentary website. Text of Bill etc.
Parliamentary material on the minimum wage 2018– questions, debates etc.
National Minimum Wage and Living Wage, DBEIS
Minimum wage, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions
Help for Members of Parliament and their staff
In addition to writing and updating published papers as bills go through Parliament, the House of Commons Library can assist Members of Parliament and their staff with individual enquiries about bills, particularly on the policy background.
The Public Bill Office (PBO) supports public bill committees. The staff working in the PBO can advise Members of Parliament on tabling amendments to bills and on the drafting of Private Members’ Bills.
This paper tracks the evolving impact of the coronavirus outbreak on the labour market.
Please note: for information on accessing food banks and food parcels during the pandemic please see our briefing Coronavirus: Support for household finances. For an account of developments in food bank activity over the crisis period see section 2 of this paper, Food Banks in the UK. Recent research means we have increasing amounts of data on food banks, giving us a fuller picture of their provision across the UK, and providing a more detailed picture of the characteristics of food bank users.
This paper provides figures for the number of people claiming unemployment benefits (the “claimant count”) by parliamentary constituency, as well as a summary of the latest labour market statistics for the UK as a whole.