How much is the minimum wage?
What are the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage, and how much are they worth?
On April 1st, the official minimum wage rates for 2.7 million workers increased. The National Living Wage for those aged 21 and above rose to £12.71 per hour, a 50p increase from the previous year. This results in a full-time worker earning £24,784.50 annually, a £900 boost. For those aged 18 to 20, the National Minimum Wage increased to £10.85 per hour, a yearly rise of £1,500 for full-time workers.
The government aims to eventually unify this into a single rate for all adults. Younger workers, aged 16 to 17, now earn £8 per hour. Apprentices have varying rates based on age and apprenticeship stage. Certain groups, like the self-employed, company directors, and prisoners, do not qualify for these rates. Employers failing to pay the correct wages can face penalties from HMRC, with 389 employers fined over £12.6 million in March 2026.
The Real Living Wage, set by a charity, is an optional hourly rate higher than the legal minimum, with the UK rate set to rise to £14.10 per hour in October 2026.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
