UK minimum wage from April 2026
Not sure your hourly rate is legal for your age? From 1 April 2026 it’s £12.71 an hour at 21 and over, less for younger workers, and apprentices have their own rate. Check yours below.
Rates from 1 April 2026 · checked 20 September 2026
21 and over£12.71National Living Wage, per hour
18 to 20£10.85Per hour
16, 17 and apprentices£8.00Per hour
| Age | Per hour | 37.5-hour week |
|---|---|---|
| 21 and over | £12.71 | £476.63 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £406.88 |
| 16 and 17 | £8.00 | £300.00 |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £300.00 |
Check your hourly rate
Result
Minimum for your age
£12.71 an hourYour rate is £0.21 below the minimum for your age.
Count only your basic hourly pay: tips, tronc and service charge never count towards the minimum wage.
Questions
What is the National Living Wage in 2026?
£12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, from 1 April 2026.
Do tips count towards the minimum wage?
No. Tips, gratuities, tronc and service charge never count towards it. Since the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023, employers also have to pass on all tips to workers, fairly. See GOV.UK’s guidance.
What is the apprentice rate?
£8.00 an hour, for apprentices under 19 or in the first year of their apprenticeship. After that, they get the rate for their age.
When does it change?
The rates usually change on 1 April each year.
Paid irregular hours? See the 12.07% holiday pay calculator.
General information, not legal advice. Your contract, your payslip and GOV.UK have the final word.
Set your age once. PayJar checks every shift.
It tells you if your rate falls below the minimum for your age, and keeps tips and tronc out of that sum, as the law says.
Coming soon to the App Store and Google Play