PaycheckHours

UK Minimum Wage Calculator by Age

From 1 April 2026 the UK minimum wage is £12.71 an hour at 21 and over (the National Living Wage), £10.85 at 18 to 20, and £8 under 18 or for apprentices. Enter your age, pay and hours to check your pay.

Rules checked October 22, 2026. How we calculate

You
Your pay for one pay period

Leave out tips, service charges and extra pay for unsocial hours: they do not count towards the minimum wage. Use pay before Income Tax and National Insurance.

Your result

Your rate band
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Minimum hourly rate
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Your pay per hour
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Result
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Owed for this period
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Self-employed people, company directors, volunteers and workers younger than school leaving age (usually 16) are not entitled to the minimum wage. Rates change on 1 April every year.

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    How it works

    Pay per hour = (pay before tax − job costs you paid and were not refunded) ÷ hours worked. If that is below the rate for your age band, the amount owed is rate × hours − counted pay. Apprentices under 19, or 19 and over in their first year, get the apprentice rate.

    Worked examples

    1. Age 27, 40 hours in a week from April 2026, paid £520, with £15 a week uniform rental not refunded: (£520 − £15) ÷ 40 = £12.63 an hour, below £12.71; £3.40 is owed for the week.
    2. Age 19 apprentice in the first year, 30 hours in a week from April 2026: the apprentice rate is £8, so the minimum for the week is £240.00.
    3. Age 20, 25 hours in a week in May 2025, paid £245: the 18 to 20 rate was £10.00, so the minimum was £250.00 and £5.00 is owed.

    Common questions

    What is the minimum wage for a 21-year-old in 2026?

    From 1 April 2026, workers aged 21 and over get the National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour. From 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026 it was £12.21.

    What is the apprentice minimum wage?

    £8 an hour from 1 April 2026. It applies to apprentices under 19, and to apprentices 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship. After the first year, apprentices 19 and over get the rate for their age.

    Do tips count towards the minimum wage?

    No. Tips, service charges, cover charges and extra pay for unsocial hours do not count. Money you pay for things you need for the job, such as tools or uniform, and are not paid back for, is taken off your pay.

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    Cite this calculator

    PaycheckHours, “UK Minimum Wage Calculator by Age”, https://paycheckhours.com/uk-minimum-wage-calculator/, accessed –.