By GREG HEFFER, POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Published: 16:12 BST, 6 June 2025 | Updated: 18:25 BST, 6 June 2025
Labour ministers have admitted they spent £35,580 - which is more than a nurse or teacher's starting salary - on beer mats in pubs.The Department for Business and Trade (DBT) revealed the sum was spent on printing the drink coasters as part of an awareness campaign.Some 500,000 beer mats were distributed to 1,000 pubs across the country to help ensure workers were aware of this year's increase to the national minimum wage.Those who used or saw the beer mats were urged to 'make sure you're getting paid correctly' by visiting the Gov.uk/checkyourpay website.Justin Madders, the minister for employment rights, said the distribution of beer mats was 'a unique opportunity to engage audiences in a social, high-dwell environment'.He described pubs as places 'where financial conversations naturally occur', adding: 'This setting encourages discussion and word-of-mouth sharing about rate changes.'According to the Government's National Careers Service website, the salary of a nurse at the beginning of her career is £31,000.And a newly-qualified secondary school teacher can expect to earn £32,000 a year. Labour ministers have admitted they spent £35,580 - which is more than a nurse or teacher's starting salary - on beer mats in pubs Justin Madders, the minister for employment rights, said the distribution of beer mats was 'a unique opportunity to engage audiences in a social, high-dwell environment'Mr Madders revealed the spending on beer mats in reply to a written parliamentary question by Tory MP Richard Holden, the shadow paymaster general.'While Labour pour taxpayers' money down the drain on flashy beer mats, the ones used by regulars are under threat,' Mr Holden told MailOnline.'Higher business rates, record taxes and even a banter ban risk pushing the great British pub into extinction.'The Cabinet Office's pledge to ban Government-funded merchandise rings hollow with this a slap in the face to publicans the country over; it's high time we call last orders on this dreadful Labour Government.'In his reply to Mr Holden, Mr Madders said this year's campaign to advertise higher rates of the national minimum wage and national living wage was budgeted to cost up to £650,000 in total.'The cost to advertise in pubs using beer mats was £35,580, which was approved at official level,' he added.'The 2024 campaign saw an increase in reach to eligible workers.'However, recognition remained low, reinforcing the need for bolder, more engaging formats for the 2025 campaign, which expected to deliver an estimated 3.2 million impressions.'In April, the national living wage for those aged 21 and over rose from £11.44 per hour to £12.21 per hour.Meanwhile, the national minimum wage for 18 to 20-year-olds was increased from £8.60 to £10 per hour.But, despite the boost to pay packets, experts warned working age households are on track to be £400 worse off on average in this tax year.The Resolution Foundation said households were facing a 'triple hit' from the impacts of tax, higher bills, and benefits that are not keeping pace with the cost of living.Long-running freezes to personal tax thresholds will mean some people are dragged into paying more tax.And Labour's hike to employer national insurance will feed through to households through slower wage growth as employers recoup costs, the think tank said.The hospitality industry - including pub bosses - issued dire warnings about the impact of the national insurance hike when it was announced at October's Budget.They expressed fears about a 'double whammy' increase to costs, due to the rise in the national minimum wage coming in at the same time.
