Minimum Wage 2027
What will you earn?
Gross pay before tax and National Insurance. The new rates apply from the first pay reference period beginning on or after 1 April 2027.
Minimum wage rates: now vs 1 April 2027
| Age or category | Now (from 1 Apr 2026) | From 1 Apr 2027 | Rise | Full-time year (37.5 hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 | £13.21 | +50p (+3.9%) | £25,759.50 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £11.27 | +42p (+3.9%) | £21,976.50 |
| 16 to 17 and apprentices | £8.00 | £8.31 | +31p (+3.9%) | £16,204.50 |
All four rates rise by the same 3.9%. The accommodation offset — the most an employer can deduct for housing — rises to £11.53 a day from April 2027.
What the rise is worth
For a full-time worker aged 21 or over on a 37.5-hour week, the 50p rise adds £975 a year (£24,784.50 to £25,759.50). On a 40-hour week it adds £1,040 a year. Remember that income tax thresholds are frozen, so some of the rise is taxed at 20% — check your own figure on the Take Home Pay Calculator.
Who gets which rate?
- National Living Wage (21+) — the legal minimum for workers aged 21 and over. It is different from the voluntary “real Living Wage” set by the Living Wage Foundation (£14.10 an hour outside London and £15.45 in London for 2026/27).
- 18 to 20 rate — for workers aged 18, 19 and 20.
- 16 to 17 rate — for workers under 18 who are no longer of compulsory school age.
- Apprentice rate — for apprentices under 19, or in the first year of an apprenticeship if aged 19 or over. After that, the age rate applies.
What if you are paid less?
It is against the law to pay below the minimum wage for your age. If you think you are underpaid, check your payslip against the rates above, keep records of your hours, and contact Acas or HMRC. Workers can be owed arrears, and employers can be fined.
Related: Hourly to Salary Calculator · Take Home Pay Calculator
Sources: Low Pay Commission recommendations; Autumn Budget 2026 (28 October 2026, Chancellor John Healey); GOV.UK “National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates”. Checked 13 November 2026. Some Budget measures still need to pass through Parliament.