Pay rates are one of the few areas of employment where the rules are fixed, published and updated on a set date. GOV.UK publishes the current National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates, and they change every year on 1 April. This checklist walks through what the official page says and the questions an employer might ask before each payroll run.
The rates from 1 April 2026
According to GOV.UK, the hourly rates that apply from 1 April 2026 are:
- 21 and over (National Living Wage): £12.71
- 18 to 20: £10.85
- Under 18: £8.00
- Apprentice: £8.00
GOV.UK states that the rates change on 1 April every year, so any pay arrangement that was set up months ago is worth checking against the current table.
The apprentice rule
GOV.UK explains that an apprentice receives the apprentice rate if they are under 19, or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship. An apprentice aged 19 or over who has completed the first year is entitled to the rate for their age band instead. This is the kind of detail that is easy to miss when an apprentice's pay is set once and never revisited.
A checklist before each payroll run
- Check the date of the rates. Is your payroll software, spreadsheet or contract using the figures that took effect on 1 April 2026?
- Check each person's age band. Birthdays can move someone into a higher band, so a calendar reminder can help.
- Check apprentices separately. Note when each apprentice's first year ends and what their rate becomes afterwards.
- Check how pay is calculated. If staff are paid per task, per shift or on a fixed salary, work out what that equals per hour worked and compare it with the rate that applies.
- Keep your working. A short note showing how you compared pay with the rate makes later questions far easier to answer.
- Re-check every April. Put the date in the diary now, because the rates are updated each year.
A simple rate table
Many small employers find it helpful to keep a one-page table with four columns: the employee, the date their age band changes, the hourly rate they are paid, and the rate that applies to them. Updating it on 1 April, and on each birthday or apprenticeship anniversary, turns a legal requirement into a routine task. It also helps when new people join part-way through the year, because the right rate is visible straight away.
Why this matters in practice
Small errors can repeat every pay period, so they grow quietly. A rate that was correct last year can be out of date this year without anyone changing anything. A routine check is cheaper and calmer than a correction later, and it shows the people who work for you that pay is taken seriously.
Where to check
The GOV.UK page on National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates is the place to confirm the current figures and who they apply to. This article is general information based on that page, not employment or legal advice. For your own situation, use the official guidance or speak to a qualified adviser.