From 1 April 2025, the UK uplifted all statutory minimum wage rates. As of September 2025, those April rates are still the ones in force.
The government also kept the National Living Wage (NLW) age threshold at 21+, and raised the accommodation offset (the amount employers can count for employer-provided housing) used in minimum-wage calculations.
UK minimum wage rates in force (September 2025)
Statutory hourly rates (effective 1 April 2025)
- National Living Wage (NLW), age 21+: £12.21/hour
- Age 18–20: £10.00/hour
- Age 16–17: £7.55/hour
- Apprentice rate: £7.55/hour
- Accommodation offset: £10.66/day (or £74.62/week)
These are the UK-wide legal minimums. Employers must pay at least these rates for the hours that count toward the minimum wage.
Who gets which rate?
- NLW (21 and over): If you’re 21+ (and not in the first year of an apprenticeship), you must get at least £12.21/hour. Note: the NLW used to apply only to 23+, but was extended to 21+ (this extension continues in 2025).
- Age-based NMW (18–20, 16–17): Paid at £10.00 and £7.55 respectively.
- Apprentices: You get the apprentice rate (£7.55) if you’re under 19, or 19+ and in your first year. After your first year (and if you’re 19+), you must move to the age-appropriate NMW/NLW.
When your rate changes mid-year
Your legal rate can change:
- when government rates change (usually every 1 April),
- when you turn 18 or 21, or
- when an apprentice turns 19 and finishes the first year of their current apprenticeship.
The new rate applies from your next pay reference period (your normal pay cycle), so it may not apply the same day the event happens.
Minimum wage table (rates in force September 2025)
For clarity, “Full-time” illustrations below show gross pay (before tax/NI) at 37.5 hours/week and 40 hours/week. Actual take-home varies with tax, NI, pensions, and benefits.
| Age/Category | Hourly rate | Change vs 2024/25 | Effective date | Weekly (37.5h) | Monthly (37.5h) | Monthly (40h) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (NLW) | £12.21 | +£0.77 (+6.7%) | 1 Apr 2025 | £457.88 | £1,984.13 | £2,116.40 |
| 18–20 | £10.00 | +£1.40 (+16.3%) | 1 Apr 2025 | £375.00 | £1,625.00 | £1,733.33 |
| 16–17 | £7.55 | +£1.15 (+18.0%) | 1 Apr 2025 | £283.13 | £1,226.88 | £1,261.33 |
| Apprentice | £7.55 | +£1.15 (+18.0%) | 1 Apr 2025 | £283.13 | £1,226.88 | £1,261.33 |
| Accommodation offset | £10.66/day (£74.62/week) | +£0.67/day (+6.7%) | 1 Apr 2025 | — | — | — |
Rates & percentage changes are the official 2025 figures; pay illustrations are arithmetic examples.
How the accommodation offset can change what you’re owed
If your employer provides accommodation, they can count up to £10.66/day (or £74.62/week) towards your minimum wage pay calculation.
- If they charge less than the offset, it does not reduce whether you meet minimum wage.
- If they charge more than the offset, the excess reduces the pay that counts toward the minimum, which can push you below the legal minimum if not handled correctly.
Who is not entitled to the minimum wage?
Certain groups are outside the scope, including self-employed people running their own business, company directors, volunteers, family members living with the employer, members of the armed forces, and those below school leaving age. (There are more specific categories; check if in doubt.)
NLW/NMW vs the Real Living Wage
The Real Living Wage (RLW) is a voluntary employer commitment calculated from living costs:
- £12.60/hour across the UK,
- £13.85/hour in London (2024/25 rates).
These are not the legal minimums, but many accredited employers pay them.
Enforcement: if you’re underpaid
HMRC investigates underpayments and the government names and shames non-compliant employers.
Employers must repay arrears and can face penalties up to 200% of the shortfall (capped per worker). Recent rounds returned millions to affected workers.
What to do if your payslip looks low
- Check your age bracket and rate (see the table above).
- Add all hours that count (including mandatory training, trial shifts where you worked, time putting on PPE, etc., when applicable under the rules).
- Factor in deductions: items like uniform costs or excess accommodation charges can pull you under the legal minimum if taken from pay—this must be corrected.
- Use the government calculator to check if you’re being paid the minimum wage correctly, then raise it with your employer or HMRC if needed.
What happens next (late-2025 & 2026)
On 5 August 2025, the government asked the Low Pay Commission (LPC) to recommend the rates that should apply from April 2026—part of a broader plan to phase out age bands and move towards a single adult rate over time. Expect the LPC’s formal advice by October 2025, with any new statutory rates typically taking effect 1 April 2026.
Detailed guide: how take-home can differ from the headline rate
Even when your hourly rate goes up, your take-home pay can rise by a smaller amount because:
- Tax and National Insurance (NI) rise with higher pay, so your net increase may be smaller than the headline percentage.
- Pension auto-enrolment contributions scale with pay (unless you opt out).
- Benefits tapering (for some households on Universal Credit) can reduce net gains.
Independent analysis around the 2025 uplift highlighted this common gap between the headline rise and take-home change.
Quick reference: typical full-time gross pay (illustrations)
These are purely illustrations using the legal rates and common working weeks; your contract might use different hours.
- 21+ at £12.21/hour
- 37.5h/week: ~£457.88/week, £1,984.13/month, £23,809.50/year
- 40h/week: ~£488.40/week, £2,116.40/month, £25,396.80/year
- 18–20 at £10.00/hour
- 37.5h/week: £375.00/week, £1,625.00/month, £19,500.00/year
- 16–17 or Apprentice at £7.55/hour
- 37.5h/week: ~£283.13/week, £1,226.88/month, £14,722.50/year
(Arithmetic based on the statutory rates; months approximated by 52 weeks ÷ 12.)
UK Minimum Wage 2025—Age-Bracket Cheat Sheet (September snapshot)
- 21+ (NLW): £12.21/hour
- 18–20: £10.00/hour
- 16–17: £7.55/hour
- Apprentice: £7.55/hour (under 19, or 19+ in first apprenticeship year)
- Accommodation offset: £10.66/day (£74.62/week)
- Next expected change: new rates normally from 1 April each year; the LPC is due to advise October 2025 for April 2026.
As of September 2025, the UK minimum wage landscape remains exactly as set on 1 April 2025: £12.21 for 21+, £10.00 for 18–20, and £7.55 for 16–17 and apprentices (with the accommodation offset at £10.66/day).
The key to staying compliant—and to understanding your payslip—is knowing which age/apprenticeship band you’re in, how deductions like accommodation or uniform costs affect the calculation, and when rate changes kick in (for birthdays, apprenticeship milestones, or the annual April update).
Keep an eye on LPC developments in October 2025 for what’s likely to change from April 2026, including the government’s push towards ending age bands for a single adult wage rate.
FAQs
A 21-year-old must receive at least the National Living Wage of £12.21/hour. This rate has applied since 1 April 2025 and is unchanged in September.
You’re entitled to the apprentice rate of £7.55/hour while you’re 19+ and still in your first year. After you finish the first year (and if you’re 19+), you must get the age-appropriate minimum wage (£10.00 for 18–20, or £12.21 for 21+).