"While we are pleased that government has rejected the siren calls of some employers to freeze the minimum wage for adult workers and apprentices, these increases are still far below inflation and will leave the lowest paid facing a real terms cut, " said the TUC.

BBC: Minimum wage and VAT changes take effect

"The moral argument - I would argue - is the same but there wasn't the same siren calls for change when the change came in for those people renting in the private sector, " he said.

BBC: Carl Sargeant: Housing benefit change 'complete madness'