The national minimum wage is under review following submission of the Low Pay Commission's annual report on its effect on the economy.
The wage is currently set at £3.60 for those aged between 18 and 22, and £4.20 an hour for those who are older.
The TUC Young Members Forum has called for the reach of the National Minimum Wage to be extended to include 16- and 17-year-olds, who are not covered by the legislation at present. It claims that applying the lower rate of £3.60 to them would increase the earnings of 290,000 UK workers.
Any alteration in the minimum wage will be announced by the Department of Trade and Industry in the next few weeks.