Minimum wage 2026 in the UK: £12.71 an hour and the rates by age
The UK minimum wage from April 2026 by age and for apprentices, what it means per week and month, what counts as pay and the rates for April 2027.
From 1 April 2026 the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour, up from £12.21. Workers aged 18 to 20 must get at least £10.85, and under-18s and apprentices at least £8. The government has already confirmed the next rates from April 2027: £13.21, £11.27 and £8.31.
- National Living Wage (21 and over)
- £12.71 an hour from 1 April 2026
- Aged 18 to 20
- £10.85 an hour
- Under 18 and apprentice rate
- £8.00 an hour
- Full-time week at £12.71
- £476.63 gross for 37.5 hours
- Next rise
- £13.21 for 21 and over from April 2027
What is the minimum wage in 2026?
From 1 April 2026 the legal minimum depends on your age and whether you are an apprentice. GOV.UK lists four rates:
- £12.71 an hour if you are 21 or over. This is the National Living Wage.
- £10.85 an hour if you are 18 to 20.
- £8.00 an hour if you are under 18.
- £8.00 an hour for apprentices on the apprentice rate.
The National Minimum Wage is the floor for workers under 21; the National Living Wage is the higher floor for everyone aged 21 and over. Both are set per hour, even if you are on a salary. Acas says most people working in the UK are entitled to one of them, and GOV.UK is clear that it makes no difference how small the employer is.
Legal minimum per hour before tax, by age band and for apprentices. Source: GOV.UK, read 10 November 2026.
How much did the minimum wage go up?
Every band rose. The Low Pay Commission, the independent body that recommends the rates, announced the 2026 figures on 26 November 2025, and the government accepted them in full. The 18 to 20 rate had the biggest rise, 8.5%, which the Commission described as progress towards bringing that age group onto the National Living Wage.
| Rate | April 2025 to March 2026 | From 1 April 2026 | Rise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over | £12.21 | £12.71 | 50p (4.1%) |
| 18 to 20 | £10.00 | £10.85 | 85p (8.5%) |
| Under 18 | £7.55 | £8.00 | 45p (6.0%) |
| Apprentice | £7.55 | £8.00 | 45p (6.0%) |
What does the minimum wage mean for a full-time week and month?
There is no legal number of hours that makes a job full time. GOV.UK says a full-time worker will usually work 35 hours or more a week. The figures below use a 37.5-hour week, common in office jobs, and a month worked out as 52 weeks divided by 12. They are gross amounts, before Income Tax and National Insurance.
| Rate from April 2026 | Per hour | 37.5-hour week | Per month | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over | £12.71 | £476.63 | £2,065.38 | £24,784.50 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £406.88 | £1,763.13 | £21,157.50 |
| Under 18 or apprentice | £8.00 | £300.00 | £1,300.00 | £15,600.00 |
To check your own pay, divide your gross pay for the period by the hours you worked in it. If the answer is below your band’s rate, something is wrong.
Who is entitled to the minimum wage?
Almost every worker who is above school leaving age. GOV.UK names part-time staff, casual workers hired for a single day, agency workers, people paid per item, trainees and workers on probation, disabled workers, agricultural and foreign workers, among others. A contract that sets pay below the minimum is not legally binding: you are still owed the correct rate.
The main groups not entitled are the genuinely self-employed, company directors, volunteers, members of the armed forces, family members living in the employer’s home, higher and further education students on work experience or a placement of up to a year, and people only shadowing someone.
When does the apprentice rate apply?
You can be paid the apprentice rate of £8.00 if you are under 19, or 19 or over and in the first year of your apprenticeship. Once you are 19 or over and have finished that first year, you must get the full rate for your age. GOV.UK’s own example: a 21-year-old apprentice in the first year can be paid £8.00; after the first year, £12.71.
What counts as pay for the minimum wage?
The check is made on your gross pay averaged over each pay reference period, usually a week or a month and never longer than 31 days. Not everything you receive counts. Acas and GOV.UK list the main items:
| Counts towards the minimum wage | Does not count |
|---|---|
| Basic pay | Tips, service charges and cover charges |
| Performance-related bonuses | Extra pay for unsocial hours, overtime or bank holidays |
| Commission | Loans, pay advances and repaid expenses |
| Incentive pay | Benefits in kind, such as meal vouchers |
| Pay given up through salary sacrifice |
Costs matter too. If you pay for something the job needs, such as a uniform or tools, and you are not refunded, that comes off your pay for the check. GOV.UK’s worked example: a 27-year-old on £13 an hour for 40 hours who pays £15 a week to rent a uniform ends up on £12.67 an hour, which is below £12.71, so the employer owes arrears.
What should you do if you are paid less?
Start informally, then escalate. The order Acas and GOV.UK suggest:
- Check the numbers with the GOV.UK minimum wage calculator for workers, your payslips and your contract.
- Talk to your employer. Many underpayments are payroll mistakes.
- Ask in writing to see your pay records. Employers must keep them for at least six years, and you can bring someone with you.
- Raise a formal grievance if it is still not fixed.
- Complain to HMRC using the pay and work rights complaint form, or through the Acas helpline on 0300 123 1100. Complaints can be anonymous. HMRC can order arrears going back up to six years and fine the employer up to £20,000 per worker.
- Or claim at an employment tribunal. You have to choose between HMRC and a tribunal for the same issue. Acas warns the time limit can be as short as three months minus one day from the underpayment.
Being dismissed because you raised a minimum wage complaint can itself be a claim for unfair dismissal.
What is already announced for April 2027?
The rates for April 2027 are confirmed. On 28 October 2026 the government accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations in full, and GOV.UK already lists them:
- 21 and over: £13.21, up 50p (3.9%)
- 18 to 20: £11.27, up 42p (3.9%)
- Under 18 and apprentices: £8.31, up 31p (3.9%)
At 37.5 hours, £13.21 is £495.38 a week, or £2,146.63 a month, before tax. The Commission also said it is pausing the move to bring 18 to 20-year-olds onto the National Living Wage this time, because demand for young workers has slowed.
Pay is one number in a job ad
The minimum wage is a floor, not a target. When you compare offers, work out the hourly rate behind each salary and the hours it really involves, and check that it clears your band before you apply.
ARSIO’s agent reads the new job ads every morning, picks the ones that fit your CV and prepares the application, which leaves you time to compare pay properly.
This guide is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Common questions
Does a small employer have to pay the minimum wage?
Yes. GOV.UK states that it does not matter how small an employer is: they still have to pay the correct minimum wage.
My contract says I'm paid less than the minimum wage. Is that valid?
No. GOV.UK states that contracts for payments below the minimum wage are not legally binding, and you are still entitled to the correct rate.
Do I get the higher rate on my 21st birthday?
The higher rate applies from the start of your next pay reference period after the birthday, according to Acas. If you are paid monthly, that can mean a few weeks at the old rate first.
Is the National Living Wage the same as the real Living Wage?
No. The real Living Wage is a voluntary rate set by the Living Wage Foundation. Employers can choose to pay it, but HMRC does not enforce it, whereas the National Living Wage is the legal minimum.
Is the minimum wage before or after tax?
Before. The check uses your gross pay, before Income Tax and National Insurance are taken off.
Sources
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates, GOV.UK, read 10 November 2026
- The National Minimum Wage and Living Wage (printable guide), GOV.UK, read 10 November 2026
- LPC recommendations take the National Living Wage to £12.71, Low Pay Commission, read 10 November 2026
- LPC recommendations take the National Living Wage to £13.21, Low Pay Commission, read 10 November 2026
- National Minimum Wage: checking pay, increases and if your employer pays less, Acas, read 10 November 2026
- Part-time workers' rights, GOV.UK, read 10 November 2026