Not sure what you should actually be getting paid? You're not alone. The UK minimum wage changes every April, the rates differ by age, and most people have no idea whether their employer is paying them correctly.
Here's a straightforward breakdown of every National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rate for 2025/26 — what you're owed, how to check, and what to do if something's not right.
| Age Group | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| 23 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.21 |
| 21 to 22 | £11.44 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.00 |
| Under 18 (but above school leaving age) | £7.55 |
| Apprentice | £7.55 |
These rates kicked in on 1 April 2025 and run until 31 March 2026. The government reviews them every year, so expect new figures each April.
The apprentice rate applies if you're an apprentice aged under 19, or if you're 19 or over and still in the first year of your apprenticeship. After that first year, you move up to the rate for your age group.
This isn't optional. Every employer in the UK is legally required to pay at least the National Minimum Wage for your age group. It doesn't matter if you work in a shop, a warehouse, or from home. It doesn't matter if you're full-time, part-time, or on a zero-hours contract.
If your employer pays less than the minimum, they're breaking the law. HMRC can issue penalties of up to 200% of the underpayment, and the employer gets publicly named. They take this seriously.
Your basic hourly pay or salary counts. But not everything does:
It's simpler than you'd think. Take your gross pay (before tax and NI) for a pay period and divide it by the number of hours you worked. If the result is below the minimum wage for your age, you're being underpaid.
For example, if you earned £800 gross in a month and worked 80 hours, that's £10.00 per hour. If you're 23 or over, that's below the National Living Wage of £12.21 — and your employer owes you the difference.
Use our minimum wage calculator to check your rate instantly.
A common misconception. If you're on a zero-hours contract, you're still entitled to at least the National Minimum Wage for every single hour you work. No exceptions. Your employer can't use the flexibility of the contract as an excuse to pay you less.
Let's say you're 18, working 20 hours a week at the minimum rate of £7.55 per hour:
That's below the Personal Allowance of £12,570, so you wouldn't pay any income tax. You'd still want to check your tax code is correct though — use our take-home pay calculator to see the full picture.
If you think your pay is below the legal minimum, here's what to do — in order:
You can't be sacked or treated unfairly for asking about your minimum wage rights. That's protected by law too.
Enter your pay and hours to see if you're getting what you're owed.