{
  "id": 14629790,
  "title": "How much is the minimum wage?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/14/how-much-is-the-minimum-wage",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-14T23:01:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "BBC Business",
    "slug": "bbc-business",
    "url": "https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy7e8mpdxpro?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "What are the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage, and how much are they worth?",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}