As someone posted previously the UK minimum wage is 6.50, if a convert that to dollars its $9.57. That is a lot more income for the common people who in the US get $7.25. Company executives in the US would throw a fit if they had to pay their employees 25% more income, because it would cut in to the top 1%'s money.

I can see why some things cost more in the UK cause of stuff like this. Nobody in the US can really live off of minimum wage because its not a living wage which makes people get 2 jobs often.