National Living Wage estimate update
The Low Pay Commission has updated its projections for the National Living Wage in 2026.
The Government has today published the Low Pay Commission’s remit for the rates of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) that will apply from April 2026.
On the National Living Wage, the remit says:
The Government is committed to raising the living standards of working people and this is the key focus of the Government’s Growth Mission. That is why the Government asks the Low Pay Commission to ensure that the National Living Wage rate does not drop below two-thirds of UK median earnings for workers in the National Living Wage population, a recognised measure of low hourly pay. The Low Pay Commission should take into account the cost of living, inflation forecasts between April 2026 and April 2027, the impact on the labour market, business and competitiveness, and carefully consider wider macroeconomic conditions.
The remit restates the Government’s focus on two-thirds of median earnings, so we are today publishing updated estimates of the NLW required from April 2026 to reach this benchmark. However, the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations are not purely formulaic. The remit requires us to consider economic conditions and balance a “multitude of factors” to make recommendations that “deliver for workers and businesses alike”. Therefore, these figures should be taken as indicative only.
National Living Wage estimates
Our central estimate is that an NLW increase to £12.71 (4.1%) would ensure the NLW does not fall below two-thirds of median earnings. However, predicting this figure is challenging, so we project a range around our central estimate which runs from £12.55 to £12.86.
Both the central estimate and the ranges around it have increased since the previous estimates we published alongside our consultation in May. Our central estimate then was £12.65 (3.6%), with a range of £12.50 to £12.80. The reasons for the increase are twofold: average wage growth has proven stronger than forecast so far this year, and, as a consequence, forecasts for wage growth in 2025 have also increased.
If wage growth continues to outperform forecasts then our central estimate (and the range around it) may continue to rise over the rest of the year. The estimates published here assume that year-on-year wage growth was 5.1% in May 2025, and that year-ended wage growth is forecast to be 3.9% and 3% in 2025 Q4 and 2026 Q4 respectively.
Next steps
Our recommendations are not purely formulaic and we are required to take economic conditions into account, so these figures should be taken as indicative only. By the end of October 2025 we will provide our advice to the Government on the NLW and NMW rates to come into effect in April 2026.
Minimum wage rates
On 1 April 2025, minimum wage rates increased. The current rates are as follows:
| NMW rate from 1 April 2025 | Annual increase (£) | Annual increase (per cent) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Living Wage (21 and over) | £12.21 | £0.77 | 6.7 |
| 18-20 Year Old Rate | £10.00 | £1.40 | 16.3 |
| 16-17 Year Old Rate | £7.55 | £1.15 | 18.0 |
| Apprentice Rate | £7.55 | £1.15 | 18.0 |
| Accommodation Offset | £10.66 | £0.67 | 6.7 |