The National Living Wage is set to rise next week (Friday 1st April) for workers aged 23 and over in the United Kingdom.
These rates are for the National Living Wage (for those aged 23 and over) and the National Minimum Wage (for those of at least school leaving age). The rates change on 1 April every year.
| 23 and over | 21 to 22 | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2021 (current rate) | £8.91 | £8.36 | £6.56 | £4.62 | £4.30 |
| April 2022 | £9.50 | £9.18 | £6.83 | £4.81 | £4.81 |
People classed as ‘workers’ must be at least school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage. They must be 23 or over to get the National Living Wage.
Contracts for payments below the minimum wage are not legally binding. The worker is still entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
Workers are also entitled to the correct minimum wage if they’re:
- part-time
- casual labourers, for example someone hired for one day
- agency workers
- workers and homeworkers paid by the number of items they make
- apprentices
- trainees, workers on probation
- disabled workers
- agricultural workers
- foreign workers
- seafarers
- offshore workers
Apprentices
Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either:
- under 19
- 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship
Apprentices over 19 who have completed the first year of their apprenticeship are entitled to the correct minimum wage for their age.
Not entitled to the minimum wage
The following types of workers are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage:
- self-employed people running their own business
- company directors
- people who are volunteers or voluntary workers
- workers on a government employment programme, such as the Work Programme
- members of the armed forces
- family members of the employer living in the employer’s home
- non-family members living in the employer’s home who share in the work and leisure activities, are treated as one of the family and are not charged for meals or accommodation, for example au pairs
- workers younger than school leaving age (usually 16)
- higher and further education students on work experience or a work placement up to one year
- people shadowing others at work
- workers on government pre-apprenticeships schemes
- people on the following European Union (EU) programmes: Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus+, Comenius
- people working on a Jobcentre Plus Work trial for up to 6 weeks
- share fishermen
- prisoners
- people living and working in a religious community
More Details:
The National Minimum Wage and Living Wage: Who gets the minimum wage – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
