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Minimum wage

  1. Tools & Guides
  2. Tax information
  3. Tax rates and allowances

National Minimum Wage rates apply to employees up to the age of 20.

National Living Wage (NLW) rates apply to employees 21 and over.

The Apprentice rate applies to apprentices under 19, or 19 and over in the first year of apprenticeship.

Penalties apply to employers who fail to pay minimum wages.

Age NLW 18-20 16-17 Apprentice
From 1 April 2026 £12.71 £10.85 £8.00 £8.00
From 1 April 2025 £12.21 £10.00 £7.55 £7.55

The latest news

05 May 2026

Small businesses 'frozen out of EU markets'

Research carried out by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has shown that small firms in the UK are being pushed out of EU markets by red tape and rising costs.

01 May 2026

Bank of England faces dilemma after holding interest rates

The Bank of England has held the base rate of interest rate at 3.75%, but now faces a dilemma, according to the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC).

30 Apr 2026

UK economic security at risk, says business group

The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) has warned the government that the UK's economic security is at risk, and has urged it to prioritise security after ten years of geopolitical shocks.