Morrisons Sets £13 Hourly Pay for Customer Assistants from July , Oxford 2026

Key Points

• Morrisons will increase hourly pay for customer assistants from £12.81 to £13.00 starting Monday, 20 July 2026 across all UK stores
• The pay rise represents a 19p per hour increase for customer assistants and forms part of a three-phase pay agreement
• All other established hourly rates for roles covered by the agreement will receive a 19p increase alongside the customer assistant raise
• The initial phase began on 30 March 2026, raising customer assistant pay to £12.81 with a 10p increase for other roles
• A third phase scheduled for Monday, 26 October 2026 will raise customer assistant pay from £13.00 to £13.11 with an 11p increase for other roles
• The pay agreement required approval from the Usdaw union, which was granted with 91.87% of votes in favour
• Asda is simultaneously implementing its own £13.10 rule from Sunday, 5 July 2026 for staff outside the M25, reaching £14.35 inside the M25
• This development follows a broader trend across UK supermarkets including Aldi, Tesco, Lidl, Sainsbury’s, and Marks and Spencer all adopting £13-plus hourly wages
• The pay increases are designed to exceed the rate of inflation, providing real-term wage growth for retail employees
• Approximately 110,000 hourly-paid retail workers at Asda will benefit from a 4% salary boost, while Morrisons employees will see cumulative rises of nearly 9% by October

Oxford (Oxford Daily)June 12, 2026 – Customer assistants at Morrisons stores across the United Kingdom will begin earning £13.00 per hour from Monday, 20 July 2026, marking a significant pay increase for the supermarket chain’s frontline workers. As reported by the Express’s finance team, Morrisons has confirmed the new pay rate will replace the current £12.81 hourly wage that began in March 2026.

The Pay Rise Follows Inverted Pyramid Structure: The most critical fact is that Morrisons customer assistants will earn £13 per hour starting 20 July. This 19p per hour increase affects thousands of workers across UK stores. The announcement comes as part of a wider three-phase pay agreement that will ultimately raise customer assistant wages to £13.11 by October 2026.

How Does Morrisons’ Three-Phase Pay Agreement Work?

As reported by journalist Rick Dunham of Global Business Journalism, the pay enhancement will be executed systematically across three distinct phases. The initial phase commenced on 30 March 2026, leading to an increase in hourly wages for Customer Assistants to £12.81, with another rise anticipated in the second phase this July.

The first phase delivered a 10p raise for customer assistants retroactive to March 30, while all other established hourly rates for roles covered by the agreement increased by 10p. Starting Monday, 20 July 2026, the pay rate for Customer Assistants will increase from £12.81 to £13.00, and all other established hourly rates for roles included in the agreement will see an increase of 19p.

The third phase is scheduled to begin on Monday, 26 October 2026, raising the established rate for a Customer Assistant from £13.00 to £13.11, with all other roles under the agreement set to receive an 11p increase. This means customer assistants will receive a cumulative increase of 90p per hour from their pre-March 2026 wage by October’s end.

Which Other UK Supermarkets Have Adopted the £13 Pay Rule?

Major UK supermarkets including Aldi, Tesco, Marks and Spencer, Lidl and Sainsbury’s have been making similar changes from April 2026, according to reporting by The Mirror’s lifestyle desk. The new rule adopted across major UK supermarkets sees staff get paid according to the Real Living Wage, as reported by Express’s UK news team on 3 June 2026.

Sainsbury’s introduced a new £13.23 rule in stores across the UK, with staff benefiting from a 5% pay increase that exceeds the rate of inflation, elevating their hourly wage to £13.23 from March 2026. Full-time employees at Sainsbury’s could see their annual earnings rise by over £1,200 as a result.

Aldi’s discount supermarket will pay its store assistants £13.50 an hour starting in April, just a month after a previous wage hike took effect in March. Meanwhile, Asda remains one of the supermarkets where employees have not yet surpassed the £13 per hour benchmark until July, when they announced their intention to adopt the £13 rule in March, which will benefit 110,000 hourly-paid retail workers with a four percent wage increase.

What Are the Specific Pay Rates for Asda Workers from July 5?

As reported by Express’s finance correspondent, from Sunday, July 5, hourly pay rates will increase from £12.71 to £13.10 for staff based in stores outside the M25 – a pay rise of 39p per hour. Conversely, those in stores within the M25 will see their pay increase from £13.93 to £14.35 starting July 5, marking a 42p per hour rise.

The Workers Union (TWU) confirmed the phased implementation: From April 1, 2026, outside the M25 wages rose from £12.60 to £12.71 per hour, while inside the M25 increased from £13.82 to £13.93 per hour. From July 5, 2026, outside the M25 wages will rise from £12.71 to £13.10 per hour, and inside the M25 from £13.93 to £14.35 per hour.

A further pay enhancement is expected next month in July as Asda proceeds with the second phase of the rollout, according to The Workers Union News Service. The supermarket declared a wage increase that will elevate hourly pay to £13.10 starting July 2026, as part of a pay enhancement that exceeds inflation for its retail employees.

How Did the Usdaw Union Approve Morrisons’ Pay Deal?

The pay adjustment followed approval from the Usdaw union, with 91.87% of votes cast in favour of the agreement, as reported by the UK Small Business Blog on 17 May 2026. Pending approval from the Usdaw union, the adjustment would boost the pay for customer assistants to £12.81 per hour, retroactive to March 30, according to Express’s food and lifestyle team.

Grocer magazine reported that Morrisons confirms the pay rise for store workers after union approval, stating that from 20 July, the hourly rate for customer assistants will increase again, to £13, while other established roles included will get a 19p rise. The deal will see pay for a customer assistant rise from the current rate, as confirmed by Retail Bulletin on 18 May 2026.

What Does This Mean for Retail Workers’ Annual Earnings?

This adjustment is set to take effect in March 2026, meaning full-time employees could see their annual earnings rise by over £1,200 at Sainsbury’s, according to Express’s UK news division. For Morrisons workers, the cumulative increase from pre-March 2026 wages to October 2026 represents nearly 9% growth in hourly pay.

The pay raise will be implemented in two phases at Asda, first increasing to £12.71 on April 1, followed by the new rate of £13.10 effective from July 5. The supermarket that all 110,000 hourly-paid staff members across its stores and Asda Express locations will enjoy a 4% salary boost, as declared in March 2026.

Background: The Development of UK Supermarket Pay Increases in 2026

The £13 rule represents a significant shift in UK retail wage standards, emerging from broader cost-of-living crisis pressures and National Living Wage adjustments. According to Retail Gazette, Morrisons employees previously earned £12.21 per hour nationwide and £13. something in London before the March 2026 increase. As of October 2025, Asda’s national pay rate stood at £12.60 per hour, with London staff earning £13.82.

The initial phase commenced in March, leading to an increase in hourly wages for Customer Assistants to £12.81, with another rise anticipated in the second phase this July. Each of these companies will raise their pay to above £13, both nationwide and in London, as part of measures to help with the cost of living crisis. The pay increases are designed to exceed the rate of inflation, providing real-term wage growth for retail employees across the sector.

According to the Workers Union (TWU), it is expected that the hourly wage for store assistants will rise to about £13.35 across the nation, with London-based employees potentially earning around £14.71. Currently, Morrisons employees earn £12.21 per hour nationwide and £13. something in London according to Retail Gazette. The initial phase commenced with the hourly compensation for all Customer Assistants increasing to £12.81 retroactive to March 30 with all other established hourly rates for eligible positions rising by 10 pence.

Prediction: How Will This Pay Increase Affect Morrisons Customer Assistants?

Customer assistants at Morrisons will experience tangible financial benefits from the £13 hourly rate, with full-time workers seeing approximately £395 additional annual earnings compared to the £12.81 rate (based on 37.5 hours per week). The 19p per hour increase represents a 1.48% wage growth from March’s rate, contributing to nearly 9% total growth by October 2026.

Retail workers outside the M25 will benefit most significantly from Asda’s July 5 increase, moving from £12.71 to £13.10 per hour, a 39p rise that exceeds inflation rates. Workers inside the M25 will see even stronger gains, reaching £14.35 per hour, which provides substantial relief for those facing London’s higher cost of living.

The 4% salary boost at Asda will impact 110,000 hourly-paid retail workers across stores and Asda Express locations, providing meaningful income support during ongoing economic uncertainty. For Morrisons employees, the three-phase agreement ensures predictable wage growth throughout 2026, reducing financial anxiety and improving retention prospects for the supermarket chain.

The union approval with 91.87% support indicates strong worker confidence in the deal, suggesting improved morale and potentially reduced staff turnover at Morrisons. However, the phased nature means workers must wait until October for the full £13.11 rate, which may limit immediate financial relief for those facing pressing cost-of-living pressures.