National Minimum Wage UK: Rates & Rights 2026

Overview

The National Minimum Wage is the lowest hourly rate an employer is legally allowed to pay most workers in the UK. It was introduced under the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 and has been updated repeatedly since, with rates reviewed annually by the government on the recommendation of the Low Pay Commission.

The rates are banded by age, with a separate reduced rate for apprentices in the first year of their apprenticeship or who are under 19. Since April 2024, the top band (now called the National Living Wage) has covered workers aged 21 and over, having previously applied from age 23.

Almost every worker in the UK qualifies, including part-time staff, agency workers, casual workers, zero-hours workers, and home workers. A small number of categories sit outside the scheme, including the genuinely self-employed, company directors without worker contracts, volunteers, and some family members working in a family business. Enforcement sits with HMRC, which can issue notices of underpayment, charge penalties, and name non-compliant employers publicly.

Key steps

1. Confirm you qualify as a worker. Check whether you fall within the scope of the legislation. If you have a contract (written or otherwise) to personally perform work for someone and you're not genuinely running your own business, you're almost certainly a worker and entitled to the minimum wage. Agency staff, casual workers and zero-hours workers all count.
2. Identify the correct rate for your age and status. Rates change every April and are split into bands: the National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over, a younger workers' rate for 18 to 20 year olds, a 16 to 17 rate, and the apprentice rate. Check the current figures on gov.uk before you do any calculations.
3. Work out your true hourly pay. Take your total pay for the pay reference period (usually a week or a month), then divide by the actual hours you worked during that period. Include time spent training, travelling between jobs during a shift, and any time you were required to be on call at the workplace.
4. Check for hidden deductions. Employers sometimes push pay below the minimum through uniform costs, tools, till shortages, or charges for accommodation above the daily accommodation offset. Any deduction made for the employer's benefit reduces your pay for minimum wage purposes, even if it's written into your contract.
5. Raise it or report it if you've been underpaid. Speak to your employer first, ideally in writing, and ask for a correction and back pay. If they refuse or retaliate, you can complain to HMRC anonymously or bring a claim in the employment tribunal. Workers can recover up to six years of underpaid wages in some cases.