Minimum wage rates 2026/27
The National Living Wage and the minimum wage are the least an hour your employer may pay you, if you are entitled to one. Almost all workers over compulsory school age are entitled; those who are not include the self-employed, volunteers and company directors. Which rate applies is set by your age or by being an apprentice. They changed on 1 April 2026.
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Minimum wage
Rates from 1 April 2026
| Who | An hour | Over a 37.5-hour week |
|---|---|---|
| Age 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 | £24,785 a year |
| Age 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £21,158 a year |
| Under 18 | £8.00 | £15,600 a year |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £15,600 a year |
Apprentices get the apprentice rate while they are under 19, or 19 and over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. After that they get the rate for their age.
After tax
What each rate leaves you
| Who | An hour | A year before tax | Income tax | National Insurance | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 | £24,785 | £2,442.80 | £976.68 | £1,780.42 |
| Age 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £21,158 | £1,717.40 | £686.52 | £1,562.80 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 | £15,600 | £606.00 | £241.92 | £1,229.34 |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £15,600 | £606.00 | £241.92 | £1,229.34 |
Over a 37.5-hour week for 52 weeks, with no pension and no student loan. Fewer hours means a smaller yearly figure and, below the thresholds, less tax and National Insurance than the same rate implies here.
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Rules v2026.10 · checked against GOV.UK on 18 September 2026Two independent checks on every rate · 83 hand-verified cases, all passing, beside 19,925 generated · How we calculate · Changelog
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