The information collected in this survey will be used to inform ACS' recommendation on the 2015 minimum wage rate.

The Low Pay Commission has been asked by the Government to monitor, evaluate and make recommendations for the minimum wage rate in 2015.

If you have any questions about the survey or need support completing it please contact Sophie Mew, Public Affairs Assistant, sophie.mew@acs.org.uk or 01252 533011.

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1. What is the name of your organisation?

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2. How many stores do you have?

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3. How many staff do you employ?

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4. In your businesses what is the typical hourly rate for staff aged 21 or over, not on probation or in a supervisory role? (£)

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5. Do you pay staff any of the following rates in your business? (Please tick)

  Yes No
Development rate for 18 to 20 year olds (£5.03 per hour)
16-17 rate (£3.72 per hour)
Apprentice rate (£2.68 per hour)

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6. Do you employ apprentices and if so what do you pay them? (£)

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7. If you have laid off staff in the past 12 months, what was this due to? Tick all that apply:

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8. In the absence of National Minimum Wage what would influence your decision to increase staff wages? Tick all that apply:

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9. Have increases in employment costs led to any of the following? Tick all that apply:

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10. Please rate the following statements:

  Strongly Agree Agree Neutral Disagree Strongly Disagree
NMW rate for adults should be frozen for 2015
NMW rate for adults should be increased to £7 an hour for 2015
NMW rate for adults should be increased by no more than the rate of inflation (currently 1.9%)
Only the NMW rate for adults should be increased, the youth and development rate should remain the same
Only the youth and development rates should be increased, the adult rate should be frozen

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11. Employees have the right to opt into an automatic pension scheme if they earn over £111 a week or £481 a month and are aged between 16 and 74.

How many members of staff do you estimate you will enrol in an automatic enrolment pension scheme?

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12. Please estimate the cost of administrative processes for auto enrolment?

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13. When do you calculate your wage bill for the year ahead?

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14. Do you have difficulties with NMW regulations and compliance?

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15. Where would you go to get information about National Minimum Wage regulations?

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16. How many members of staff do you employ on zero hour contracts?

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17. Employers are currently required to pay Statutory Sick Pay (£87.55 per week) to employees who are off sick between 4 days and 28 weeks.

What is the total number of days that you have had staff on long-term sick leave for over the past 12 months?

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18. Employers currently choose to pay the Living Wage on a voluntary basis. This is set at £7.65 for businesses outside of London and £8.80 for in London. If this were to become a legal requirement, what impact, if any, would this have on your business?

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19. What incentives, if any, would encourage you to pay the Living Wage?

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20. Any other comments or issues you want to raise?

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