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National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates

The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age and whether you’re an apprentice.

This page is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

You must be at least:

  • school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage
  • aged 21 to get the National Living Wage - the minimum wage will still apply for workers aged 20 and under

Current rates

The rates change on 1 April every year.

21 and over 18 to 20 Under 18 Apprentice
April 2026 £12.71 £10.85 £8 £8

Apprentices

Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either:

  • aged under 19
  • aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship

Example

An apprentice aged 21 in the first year of their apprenticeship is entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £8.

Apprentices are entitled to the minimum wage for their age if they both:

  • are aged 19 or over
  • have completed the first year of their apprenticeship

Example

An apprentice aged 21 who has completed the first year of their apprenticeship is entitled to a minimum hourly rate of £12.71.

Previous rates

The following rates were for the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage from April 2019.

Rates between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2026

Since 1 April 2024 the National Living Wage has been for those aged 21 and over.

21 and over 18 to 20 Under 18 Apprentice
April 2025 to March 2026 £12.21 £10  £7.55  £7.55 
April 2024 to March 2025 £11.44 £8.60  £6.40  £6.40 

Rates between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2024

Between 1 April 2021 and 31 March 2024 the National Living Wage was for those aged 23 and over.

23 and over 21 to 22 18 to 20 Under 18 Apprentice
April 2023 to March 2024 £10.42 £10.18 £7.49 £5.28 £5.28
April 2022 to March 2023 £9.50 £9.18 £6.83 £4.81 £4.81
April 2021 to March 2022 £8.91 £8.36 £6.56 £4.62 £4.30

Rates before 1 April 2021

Before 1 April 2021 the National Living Wage was for those aged 25 and over.

25 and over 21 to 24 18 to 20 Under 18 Apprentice
April 2020 to March 2021 £8.72 £8.20 £6.45 £4.55 £4.15
April 2019 to March 2020 £8.21 £7.70 £6.15 £4.35 £3.90

Who gets the minimum wage

Read the information on who is entitled to the minimum wage.

You can use the minimum wage calculator to check whether the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage is being paid.

Contact Acas if you’re not getting the National Minimum Wage and think you should be.

This page is Part of Employ someone: step by step

  1. Step 1 Check this process is right for you

    Follow these steps if you're taking on someone with the employment status of 'employee'.

    1. Check who counts as an employee

    There are other steps you may need to take first if you have not employed someone before.

    1. Get ready to employ someone for the first time

    The rules are different if you want to take on someone with another type of employment status, such as agency staff, freelancers, consultants and contractors.

    1. Check your responsibilities when you take on someone with a different employment status and contract type

  2. Step 2 Recruit someone

    You need to advertise the role and interview candidates. You can use a recruitment agency to do this or do it yourself.

    1. Find out about recruiting someone yourself on Acas

    As an employer you must make sure you recruit employees fairly.

    1. Avoid discrimination during recruitment
    2. Make your application process accessible for employees with disabilities or health conditions

  3. and Check they have the right to work in the UK

    1. Find out how to check an applicant's right to work

  4. and Find out which DBS check is right for your employee

    You may need to check if someone has a criminal record, for example, if they'll be working in healthcare or with children. This is known as a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

    1. Find out which DBS check is right for your employee
    2. How to do a DBS check

  5. Step 3 Check if they need to be put into a workplace pension

    1. If you’re employing someone for the first time, use The Pensions Regulator’s tool to find out what you need to do
    1. If you already employ people, check your ongoing duties on The Pensions Regulator website

  6. Step 4 Agree a contract and salary

    When someone accepts a job offer they have a contract with you as their employer.

    1. You are currently viewing: Check what the National Minimum Wage is for different ages
    2. Check what the National Minimum Wage is for different types of work
    3. Check what to include in a contract
    4. Agree a written statement of employment particulars

  7. Step 5 Tell HMRC about your new employee

    You must tell HMRC about your new employee on or before their first pay day.

    1. Tell HMRC about a new employee
    2. Get their personal details and P45 to work out their tax code
    3. If you do not have their P45, use HMRC’s ‘starter checklist’
    4. Check what to do when you start paying your employee