What are the current National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates?
From 1 April 2026 the hourly rates are £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over (National Living Wage), £10.85 for ages 18 to 20, £8 for under-18s and £8 for apprentices. The rates usually change each April.
Current rates (from 1 April 2026)
For comparison, the rates from April 2025 to March 2026 were £12.21, £10, £7.55 and £7.55.
- Aged 21 and over (National Living Wage): £12.71 an hour.
- Aged 18 to 20: £10.85 an hour.
- Under 18 (above compulsory school leaving age): £8 an hour.
- Apprentice rate: £8 an hour.
Who gets the apprentice rate
The apprentice rate applies to apprentices aged under 19, and to those aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship. An apprentice aged 19 or over who has completed the first year is entitled to the minimum wage for their age.
Enforcement and records
Contracts for payments below the minimum wage are not legally binding. GOV.UK states that it is a criminal offence for employers not to pay the minimum wage or to fake payment records. HMRC enforces the minimum wage on behalf of the Fair Work Agency and can check payment records at any time; arrears must be paid immediately, a fine applies and employers might be named.
Employers should keep records proving they pay the minimum wage for at least 6 years.
The law
“shall be remunerated by his employer in respect of his work in any pay reference period…”
Sources
- National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates · GOV.UK
- The National Minimum Wage and Living Wage · GOV.UK
- Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027 · GOV.UK
- What is the minimum wage · Acas
General information for employers in Great Britain, not legal advice. Check the official sources for your situation.
- Current National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates took effect
Future dates are expected dates and depend on Parliament.
What employers can do
- Check every worker's age and apprenticeship year against the current rates.
- Diarise birthdays and apprenticeship anniversaries that move someone to a higher rate.
- Use the GOV.UK minimum wage calculator to test pay for workers with variable hours or deductions.
- Review any deductions or unpaid time that could take pay below the minimum.
- Keep pay records for at least 6 years.
Related answers
- How should employers calculate holiday pay, including for irregular hours? Workers get a week's pay for each week of statutory leave, usually averaged over the previous 52 paid weeks where pay varies. For irregular-hours and part-year workers, leave accrues at 12.07% of hours worked in each pay period, and all their leave is paid at their 'normal' rate.
- What is the Fair Work Agency and what does it enforce? The Fair Work Agency is the government body set up on 7 April 2026 to enforce certain workers' rights. It enforces the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage, regulates employment agencies and businesses, licenses labour suppliers to agriculture and food, tackles serious labour exploitation and penalises unpaid tribunal awards. Holiday pay enforcement is expected to begin in 2027.
- What does equal pay law require of employers? Under the Equality Act 2010, men and women must get equal pay and contractual terms for equal work: like work, work rated as equivalent, or work of equal value. A difference is only allowed where it is genuinely explained by something other than sex, such as location or hard-to-recruit skills.