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UK minimum wage rates and rules explained
Überblick
Official UK minimum wage rates increased, with the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over rising to £12.71 an hour from 1 April 2026. The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds increased to £10.85 an hour, and the rate for 16 and 17-year-olds rose to £8. It is a criminal offence for employers not to pay eligible staff the correct wages.
Wichtige Punkte
- From 1 April 2026, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour.
- The National Minimum Wage for 18 to 20-year-olds has increased to £10.85 an hour.
- The minimum wage for 16 and 17-year-olds and apprentices in that age group is £8 an hour.
- Groups such as the self-employed, company directors, volunteers, armed forces members and prisoners do not qualify.
- It is a criminal offence for employers to fail to pay the correct minimum and living wages.
- The unofficial Real Living Wage, overseen by the Living Wage Foundation, increases to £14.10 an hour nationally and £15.45 in London in October 2026.