A decision needs to be made as to what age a person is considered legally an adult, and this change should be reflected in wages.

As a 21 year old woman who has been working since I left sixth form at 18, I was extremely disappointed by the differences in minimum wage. At the time I was earning £4.98 an hour (and I had younger colleagues earning even less), for doing the exact same job, sometimes better, than my older colleagues who earned far more. So George Osborne, when I saw your decision about giving workers the National Living Wage of £7.20, I was elated. Finally, a way that us younger people with a strong work ethic can be paid what we deserve - the same as everyone else older than us.

However, it would seem that the Conservative government has once again massively let down the young, working people in this country. The living wage is only available to those over 25. I ask both George Osborne and the Prime Minister a simple question - Why?

At 16, I can join the army and am considered responsible for decisions about my body, as well as having to pay adult fares for transport and tickets. At 18, I can participate in democratic elections and consume alcohol. I can also, from this point, be expected to be entirely in charge of my own life - from buying my own food to paying bills and a mortgage (all of which I am currently attempting to do). I have to pay the same price as everyone else in the country for all of this. Yet I am not considered enough of an 'adult' to earn the same. The changes in the working age benefits are fair enough - Once you are out of education, you should be earning if you are able (or whilst in education - I work alongside attending University). However, this National Living Wage change is essentially telling young people that 'You must act like an adult - but we won't treat you like one unless it involves taking money from you'.

Allowing all adults to receive the National Living Wage would, I truly believe, be of huge benefit to young people and this country as a whole. By paying young people fairly, they would be able to find better opportunities, for example paying for life at University would be more affordable. This is particularly important as you both appear to want to make University as difficult as possible for non-privileged young people to attend and repay. If you treat people from adult age truly as adults, I believe you would find young people far more willing to work, and thus the economy should benefit.

And so, I want to use this petition to call on the Prime Minister to reconsider who receives the National Living Wage - I believe all working adults deserve to be paid the same, age does NOT change how hard someone works. If I have to pay the same prices as everyone over 25, I also deserve to be paid as much.  

Please, even if you are over the age of 25, sign this petition, because this inequality is disgusting, and will continue to destroy the abilities and futures of the young people of today who aren't fortunate enough to have a head start in life.