- Published
The official minimum rates of pay rose for 2.7 million workers on 1 April.
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rates → publish → April
The rate for workers aged 21 and over is called the National Living Wage, while those aged 18 to 20 are paid the National Minimum Wage.
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those → age → Wage
The rates apply across the UK.
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rates → apply → UK
From 1 April 2026, workers over 21 on the National Living Wage are paid £12.71 an hour, 50p more than in 2025.
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workers → pay → 2025
For someone working full time (37.5 hours a week), that amounts to £24,784.50 a year - an increase of £900.
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that → work → 900
What is the National Minimum Wage and how much is it worth?
The rate for 18 to 20-year-olds has gone up to £10.85 an hour.
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rate → go → 10.85
It amounts to an increase of £1,500 a year for a full-time worker.
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It → amount → worker
The government said its goal is to eventually scrap this separate rate for 18 to 20-year-olds, and have one rate for all adults.
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goal → say → adults
The minimum wage for 16 and 17-year-olds has also risen to £8 an hour.
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wage → rise → 8
There are different rates of pay for apprentices, external depending on their age and what stage of apprenticeship they are in.
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they → be → apprenticeship
Apprentices aged 16 to 18 are entitled to the National Minimum Wage rate for that age group which is currently £8.
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which → age → group
Those aged 19, or in the first year of their apprenticeship, are paid the same amount.
But those over 19 - or who have already completed their first year - are entitled to the appropriate National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage rate for their age.
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who → age → age
Who doesn't qualify for the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage?
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Who → qualify → Wage
Some workers do not qualify for either the National Minimum Wage or the National Living Wage.
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workers → qualify → Wage
This includes the self-employed, company directors, volunteers, members of the armed forces and prisoners.
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This → include → forces
People with disabilities or in long-term unemployment who take part in government work programmes are paid fixed amounts at different stages of the scheme.
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who → take → scheme
Do employers have to pay the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage?
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employers → have → Wage
It is a criminal offence for employers not to pay the correct National Minimum and Living Wages to eligible employees.
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employers → pay → employees
The rates apply even if workers are not paid by the hour.
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workers → apply → hour
If you think you are being paid the wrong amount, you can complain via the HMRC website, external.
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you → think → website
You can also get advice from workplace experts Acas, external.
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You → get → Acas
What happens if employers don't pay the right wage?
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employers → happen → wage
Any employer not paying the correct amount can be penalised by HMRC.
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employer → pay → HMRC
In March 2026, the government said that 389 employers had been fined around £12.6m for failing to pay staff properly, external.
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employers → say → staff
They must also repay the missing £7.3m to the around 60,000 workers who were underpaid.
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who → repay → workers
Firm named included the Nursery chain Busy Bees, Norwich City Football Club, Hays Travel and Costa Coffee.
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Firm → name → chain
The Real Living Wage, external is an unofficial hourly rate of pay which is overseen by the Living Wage Foundation charity, who say it is set at a rate to meet the cost of living.
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it → oversee → living
It increases every October.
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It → increase → ?
Some firms choose to pay the Real Living Wage, but it is not mandatory.
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it → choose → Wage
According to the charity almost 500,000 employees working for nearly 17,000 firms receive the voluntary rate of pay.
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employees → accord → pay
In October 2026, the foundation said the UK rate would increase by 4.8% to £14.10 an hour, while the London Living Wage for workers in the capital would go up by 4.4% to £15.45.
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Wage → say → 15.45
The Living Wage Foundation says the rate is worth over £2,700 more per year than the legal minimum wage in the UK, and over £5,300 more in London.
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rate → say → London
The Aporia
