UNIONS called today for greater protections for the hundreds of thousands of furloughed low-paid workers who will miss out on the rise in the minimum wage. 

The national living wage rose by 2.2 per cent to £8.91 today — or 19p an hour — which for the first time will see all of those aged 23 and over paid this as a minimum. 

However younger workers will still be paid less, with apprentices paid as little as £4.30.