The Government accepted the Tripartite Cluster for Retail’s Progressive Wage Model recommendations in August 2025, including a staged wage schedule with a new period starting on 1 September 2026. The applicable amount depends on the role and working arrangement; the official table and coverage rules should be checked for the actual employee.
A headline about a retail pay rise is not a complete payroll instruction. Use it as a prompt for a documented review.
Match the role to the work
Describe the employee’s actual retail responsibilities, including customer assistance, checkout duties, coordination or supervision where relevant. Review the current official role descriptions and wage schedule rather than relying only on the shop’s internal title.
A person’s responsibilities can change gradually. Ask whether the written job description still matches the work, and identify who will resolve a classification question if the duties span several areas.
Check the period and pay basis
Use the schedule for the correct date. Keep monthly and hourly figures, working hours and overtime treatment clear. Do not compare a figure from an earlier period with a current payslip without explaining the difference.
The responsible payroll team should verify the applicable components and coverage. This article deliberately does not reproduce the full wage table, because copying one figure without its conditions can give an incorrect answer.
Include training and operational planning
Review any relevant training requirements alongside wages. Agree who maintains the evidence and how the team will cover attendance where training is scheduled. A completed payroll adjustment does not necessarily answer a separate training question.
For a shop with several locations, use a consistent role-review process while recognising differences in actual duties. Avoid giving different classifications to equivalent work simply because separate managers use different titles.
Communicate changes clearly
Explain the applicable review and any confirmed adjustment in a way the employee can understand. Keep personal pay information restricted and provide a route for factual questions or corrections.
Employees can prepare by listing their responsibilities and checking their own records. Employers can prepare by identifying the relevant schedule and documenting the basis of the decision. Both benefit from an explanation connected to the actual role.
Review future stages separately
A multi-year schedule includes different dates and may be subject to later updates. Record the next review point rather than assuming a 2026 check remains valid indefinitely. The itemised-payslip guide can help employees identify which pay components need clarification after a change.
Official source and next step
Checked on 27 October 2026. Read the official guidance before acting, including its eligibility rules and exceptions. This article explains general information and practical preparation; individual employment or pass decisions may need qualified advice. Explore employer tools.
