The 2026 minimum wage and National Living Wage

Every April the legal minimum you can be paid goes up, and 2026 is no exception. If you work in an entry-level or hourly role it directly affects your take-home, and even if you earn more it sets the baseline the whole market moves around. Here are the new rates, who gets what, and what to do if your employer has not passed the rise on.

The 2026 rates

From 1 April 2026 the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates are:

The headline National Living Wage of £12.71 applies to everyone aged 21 and over, and the gap with the 18 to 20 rate continues to narrow, part of a long-term move towards a single adult rate.

The difference between the two names

People use "minimum wage" as a catch-all, but technically the National Living Wage is the top band, for workers aged 21 and over, while the National Minimum Wage covers the younger and apprentice bands beneath it. They are all legal minimums set each year on the advice of the Low Pay Commission. It is not the same as the voluntary "real Living Wage" promoted by campaigners, which some employers choose to pay and is higher.

Who the rates apply to

These minimums cover almost all workers, including part-time, temporary, agency and casual staff. The apprentice rate of £8.00 applies if you are under 19, or 19 and over in the first year of your apprenticeship. Once you turn 19 and pass your first year, you must be paid at least the normal rate for your age. Your correct rate is based on your age and, for apprentices, your stage, so a birthday can entitle you to a pay rise.

What counts and what does not

The rate must be paid for all the time you are working, and some common practices can unlawfully push your effective pay below the minimum, such as:

• Not paying for time spent on required training, security checks or handover.
• Deductions for uniforms or tools that take you below the minimum.
• Unpaid travel time between jobs during a shift, which should be paid for mobile roles like home care.

Tips do not count towards the minimum wage, so your basic pay must reach the legal rate before any tips are added.

What to do if you are underpaid

Underpayment is more common than people think, often through error rather than intent. If you think you are being paid below the minimum:

• Work out your true hourly rate, dividing your pay by all the hours you actually worked, including any that go unrecorded.
• Raise it with your employer in writing first, as many cases are simply mistakes that are quickly fixed.
• If it is not resolved, report it. HMRC enforces the minimum wage and can make employers pay back what they owe, and ACAS offers free confidential advice.

You are legally entitled to at least the rate for your age, backdated if you have been underpaid. Knowing the 2026 figures and checking your own payslip against them is the simplest way to make sure you get every pound you are owed.