The Law To Know

← All countries

Minimum wage in the United Kingdom

A statutory national minimum wage

The United Kingdom has a statutory National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over, with lower National Minimum Wage rates for younger workers and apprentices. The rates are reviewed every year and change each April.

Headline figure (from April 2026)

12.71 GBP per hour

The National Living Wage, for workers aged 21 and over.

Roughly US$2,912 a month for a full-time worker, at exchange rates of 2026-10-09. This is a rough comparison only and does not show buying power.

Checked October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.

Check the date. Minimum wages change, in many countries every year. The figure above is the one in force at the date shown. Confirm the current amount with the official source below before you rely on it. This is general information, not legal or employment advice.

Who sets it

Parliament set up the system by law. The independent Low Pay Commission recommends the rates each year and the Government decides.

How it changes

The rates are reviewed once a year and normally change on 1 April. They are stated per hour, by age band.

Who is covered, and who is treated differently

  • There are separate hourly rates for workers aged 21 and over, 18 to 20, under 18, and apprentices.
  • A worker can be entitled to the rate for their age band even where the contract says less.
  • The same rates apply across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

What to watch for

  • The figure shown here is the highest band, for workers aged 21 and over. Check the band for your age.
  • Deductions, such as for uniforms or accommodation, can reduce pay below the minimum only in limited, defined ways.

Understand the legal system first

The United Kingdom belongs to the Common law family. How pay is regulated depends on how the legal system makes and applies labour law.

Read the United Kingdom legal-system profile in the Legal Families Atlas →
Compare United Kingdom with another country →

Official sources

Other countries

AlbaniaArgentinaAustraliaAustriaBelgiumBrazilBulgariaCambodiaCanadaChileChinaColombiaCroatiaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFranceGermanyGhanaGreeceHong KongHungaryIcelandIndiaIndonesiaIrelandIsraelItalyJapanKenyaLatviaLithuaniaLuxembourgMalaysiaMaltaMexicoMoldovaMontenegroMoroccoNepalNetherlandsNew ZealandNigeriaNorth MacedoniaNorwayPakistanPeruPhilippinesPolandPortugalRomaniaRussiaSerbiaSingaporeSlovakiaSloveniaSouth AfricaSouth KoreaSpainSri LankaSwedenSwitzerlandTaiwanThailandTurkeyUkraineUnited StatesVietnam

TheLawToKnow Tools’s Minimum Wage by Country guide is an educational overview. It is not legal or employment advice, and it does not replace the official source or a lawyer in the country. Report a mistake.