UK minimum wage 2026
Since 1 April 2026 the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over has been £12.71 an hour. On 1 April 2027 it rises to £13.21.
an hour for workers aged 21 and over, or £24,785 a year at 37.5 hours a week
About £21,364 a year after tax (England, Wales and Northern Ireland, 2026/27)
Minimum wage rates from 1 April 2026
| Age | Per hour | Per week | Per year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 | £476.63 | £24,785 | £1,780 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £406.88 | £21,158 | £1,563 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 | £300.00 | £15,600 | £1,229 |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £300.00 | £15,600 | £1,229 |
A week and a year at 37.5 hours a week, 52 weeks. Take-home pay is for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2026/27, with no pension or student loan.
New rates from 1 April 2027
| Age | Per hour | Rise | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £13.21 | +£0.50 (3.9%) | £25,760 |
| 18 to 20 | £11.27 | +£0.42 (3.9%) | £21,977 |
| Under 18 | £8.31 | +£0.31 (3.9%) | £16,205 |
| Apprentice | £8.31 | +£0.31 (3.9%) | £16,205 |
A year at 37.5 hours a week, 52 weeks, before tax. Tax rates for 2027/28 are not used here.
Pay at £12.71 an hour for different hours
| Hours a week | Per week | Per month | Per year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10 hours | £127.10 | £551 | £6,609 | £551 |
| 16 hours | £203.36 | £881 | £10,575 | £881 |
| 20 hours | £254.20 | £1,102 | £13,218 | £1,086 |
| 25 hours | £317.75 | £1,377 | £16,523 | £1,285 |
| 30 hours | £381.30 | £1,652 | £19,828 | £1,483 |
| 35 hours | £444.85 | £1,928 | £23,132 | £1,681 |
| 37.5 hours | £476.63 | £2,065 | £24,785 | £1,780 |
| 40 hours | £508.40 | £2,203 | £26,437 | £1,880 |
52 weeks a year; a month is a year divided by 12. Take-home pay is for England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2026/27, with no pension or student loan. At up to 19 hours a week at this rate, pay stays under the £12,570 personal allowance, so there is no income tax or National Insurance.
Who gets which rate
- The National Living Wage is for workers aged 21 and over.
- Workers aged 18 to 20, and those under 18 who are over school leaving age, have their own lower rates.
- The apprentice rate is for apprentices under 19, and for apprentices aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship. After that first year, an apprentice aged 19 or over gets the rate for their age.
- The rates are the same in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and for employers of every size.
- The Real Living Wage is a different, higher rate set by the Living Wage Foundation. Employers pay it voluntarily; it is not a legal minimum.
How the minimum wage compares with other pay
In April 2026, the lowest-paid 10% of full-time employees earned less than £13.54 an hour. The median was £20.88 an hour (gross hourly pay including overtime, ONS ASHE 2026, provisional). Lowest paid jobs
Minimum wage history
In April 2019 the top rate was £8.21 an hour, for workers aged 25 and over. By April 2026 it was £12.71 an hour, 55% higher.
| From April | Top rate | Next band (21–22, or 21–24) | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2027 | £13.21 (21+) | – | £11.27 | £8.31 | £8.31 |
| 2026 | £12.71 (21+) | – | £10.85 | £8.00 | £8.00 |
| 2025 | £12.21 (21+) | – | £10.00 | £7.55 | £7.55 |
| 2024 | £11.44 (21+) | – | £8.60 | £6.40 | £6.40 |
| 2023 | £10.42 (23+) | £10.18 | £7.49 | £5.28 | £5.28 |
| 2022 | £9.50 (23+) | £9.18 | £6.83 | £4.81 | £4.81 |
| 2021 | £8.91 (23+) | £8.36 | £6.56 | £4.62 | £4.30 |
| 2020 | £8.72 (25+) | £8.20 | £6.45 | £4.55 | £4.15 |
| 2019 | £8.21 (25+) | £7.70 | £6.15 | £4.35 | £3.90 |
The age for the top rate fell from 25 to 23 in April 2021 and to 21 in April 2024. Before April 2021 the next band was 21 to 24.
More
Source: National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates, GOV.UK