minimum wage changes and impact on salary exchange

[robbogas1]

Hi, was just about to do the right thing and order a new electric car via mydrive but suddenly have found that there are no cars available. After a bit of research it appears that the amount I can now use for salary exchange has dropped ( now £49.66 per week ) because the minimum wage has gone up. Two weeks ago my weekly salary exchange was about £70 per week and could afford an electric car according to salary sacrifice calculations. So I work full time, have been with the company nearly 5 years and am now being told I cannot afford any car on the mydrive scheme. The company is encouraging us to use these "Benefits" but also removing the option to do this by the formula they use to calculate the salary exchange rate to ensure we do not fall below the minimum wage threshold. Seems to me that we obviously need a review of the formula or a decent wage rise.
This was the response I got from mybundle today.

Hello Robert,

I'm contacting you in regards to your MyDrive query.

My colleagues have checked on this and have advised that the affordability is up to date, taking in account the change to full-time and all.

In this case the only way to increase the affordability be would be with a raise, I'm sorry to say.

My advice would also be to check back within a few weeks if possible, as there might be cars available at that time - due to the availability of cars being another thing to look out for.

Take care and have a good rest of your day.

If you have any further enquiries please do not hesitate to get back to us.

Kind regards,

Support Specialist
This email has been sent by Reward Gateway (UK) Ltd. Registered in England and Wales (No. 05696250) at 265 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7RQ. Registered under the Data Protection Act (No. Z964960X).

[postieblueshirt]

Any time I have look at my drive over the last few years there have been no cars available so I gave up looking.