National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage 2026
From 1 April 2026 the National Living Wage (21+) is £12.71 an hour, the 18-20 rate is £10.85, and the 16-17 and Apprentice rates are both £8.00. The government has signalled it wants to eventually align the 18-20 rate with the National Living Wage, but no date is fixed yet.
The National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates changed on 1 April 2026, as they do every April. The National Living Wage, which applies to workers aged 21 and over, rose to £12.71 an hour, up 4.1% from £12.21. The 18-20 Year Old Rate rose to £10.85, up 8.5%, a larger increase that reflects the government's stated aim of closing the gap with the adult rate. The 16-17 Year Old Rate and the Apprentice Rate both rose to £8.00 an hour. The daily accommodation offset, the maximum an employer can charge for provided accommodation before it affects minimum wage calculations, rose to £11.10. The Low Pay Commission has proposed a pathway toward a single adult rate: extending the National Living Wage to age 20 in 2027, then to ages 18 and 19 in 2028 or 2029, but this is a proposed pathway, not a fixed statutory commitment.
What are the current 2026 rates?
National Living Wage (21+): £12.71 an hour. 18-20 Year Old Rate: £10.85. 16-17 Year Old Rate and Apprentice Rate: both £8.00. The daily accommodation offset is £11.10.
Is the government moving toward a single adult rate?
It has stated an ambition to do so, and the Low Pay Commission has proposed extending the National Living Wage to age 20 from 2027 and to ages 18 and 19 from 2028 or 2029. Neither is a confirmed statutory date yet; both remain subject to economic conditions and government policy at the time.
When do rates next change?
Minimum wage rates change every 1 April. The next change will be 1 April 2027, alongside any further steps toward the single adult rate the government confirms in the meantime.
Who handles this if you hire through Teamed?
Your UK payroll through Teamed applies the correct minimum wage rate for every worker's age band automatically, and updates the moment new rates take effect each April, so an outdated rate never slips through onto a payslip.
Key figures
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| National Living Wage (21+) | £12.71/hour, up from £12.21 (4.1% increase) (source) |
| 18-20 Year Old Rate | £10.85/hour, up from £10.00 (8.5% increase) (source) |
| 16-17 Year Old Rate | £8.00/hour, up from £7.55 (6.0% increase) (source) |
| Apprentice Rate | £8.00/hour, up from £7.55 (6.0% increase) (source) |
| Accommodation offset (daily rate) | £11.10/day, up from £10.66 (4.1% increase) (source) |
| Single adult rate alignment commitment | Government has committed to eventually lowering the NLW eligibility age from 21 to 18, but has given the Low Pay Commission full flexibility on pace. LPC's proposed pathway: extend NLW to age 20 in 2027, then to ages 18-19 in 2028 or 2029, subject to economic conditions and government policy at the time. No fixed statutory date exists yet. (source) |
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Living Wage in 2026?
£12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, effective from 1 April 2026.
Will the 18-20 rate be scrapped?
The government wants to move toward a single adult rate eventually, and the Low Pay Commission has proposed extending the National Living Wage down to age 20 in 2027 and ages 18-19 by 2028 or 2029, but no date is legally fixed yet.
How often do minimum wage rates change?
Annually, on 1 April, following the Low Pay Commission's recommendations to government each autumn.
UK employment law is moving fast, and commencement dates have slipped before. When Teamed is your legal employer, we track every change and update your contracts, policies and payroll as the law lands, so you never have to read a roadmap to stay compliant.
