National Minimum Wage Calculator UK 2026/27
Check whether you're being paid at least the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage, using the rates effective from 1st April 2026.
The National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) are the legal minimum hourly rates almost all workers in the UK are entitled to, regardless of business size. It applies from day one of employment. The current rates are:
| Age / category | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 |
| Apprentice (under 19, or 19+ in first year of apprenticeship) | £8.00 |
If your employer provides accommodation, the statutory offset is £11.10 per day (£77.70 for a full week). Anything charged above the offset reduces the pay that counts towards minimum wage. If accommodation is provided free, the offset counts as if it were pay, which increases it.
Your Details
Total hours actually worked, including any that go unpaid but shouldn't
Before tax and National Insurance, for the same period as the hours above
For the SAME period as the pay above — not a weekly figure, unless the period is a week. Enter 0 if accommodation is provided free.
The offset is £11.10 per day, so this scales it to your pay period. Leave blank if no accommodation is provided.
How the minimum wage works
The rates from 1st April 2026
- 21 and over (the National Living Wage): £12.71 an hour
- 18 to 20: £10.85 an hour
- Under 18: £8 an hour
- Apprentice rate: £8 an hour, for apprentices under 19, or 19 and over in the first year of their apprenticeship
The rates usually change every year on 1st April. Almost all workers are entitled to the minimum wage from their first day, including part-time, zero-hours, casual and agency workers.
How to use the calculator
- Choose the worker's age band
- Enter the hours they worked in the pay period and their gross pay for that period
- If you provide accommodation, enter what you charge for it and how many days it was provided
The calculator compares the pay that counts for minimum wage with the hours worked, and shows any shortfall. Minimum wage is checked over each pay period, so look at one pay period at a time.
What counts towards minimum wage pay
- Basic pay and most bonuses count
- Tips, gratuities and service charges do not count, however they are paid
- For workers paid by the hour, overtime and shift premiums only count at the basic rate: the extra premium does not count. Different rules can apply to salaried workers
- Deductions or payments for things connected with the job, such as uniforms, tools or training, reduce the pay that counts
- Salary sacrifice reduces the pay that counts, so it can take someone below the minimum wage
Accommodation
Accommodation is the only benefit that can count towards minimum wage pay. If you charge for accommodation, anything above £11.10 a day (£77.70 a week) reduces the pay that counts. Free accommodation can count as pay up to the same limit.
What counts as working time
Time spent working must be paid at least the minimum wage. That includes training the employer requires, travel between jobs during the working day (but not the normal commute), and time the worker is required to spend at the workplace, even if there is no work to do at that moment (special rules apply to sleep-in shifts). Unpaid time before or after a shift is a common cause of underpayment.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage for 2026/27?
From 1st April 2026: £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over (the National Living Wage), £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds, £8 for under 18s, and £8 for apprentices.
What is the difference between the National Minimum Wage and the National Living Wage?
The National Living Wage is the legal minimum rate for workers aged 21 and over. The National Minimum Wage is the legal minimum for younger workers and apprentices. The Real Living Wage is different again: a voluntary, higher rate set by the Living Wage Foundation.
Who gets the apprentice rate?
Apprentices under 19, and apprentices aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship. After the first year, an apprentice aged 19 or over must be paid the rate for their age.
Do zero-hours and casual workers get the minimum wage?
Yes. Almost all workers are entitled to at least the minimum wage, whatever their contract, from their first day of work.
Do tips count towards the minimum wage?
No. Tips, gratuities and service charges cannot count towards minimum wage pay. Basic pay alone must meet the minimum.
Can uniform or equipment costs take pay below the minimum wage?
Not lawfully. If a worker pays for, or has deductions for, things they need for the job, such as uniforms or tools, the amount reduces the pay that counts. If that takes them below the minimum wage, the employer is underpaying them.
Does training and travel time count as working time?
Training the employer requires counts, and so does travel between jobs or assignments during the working day. The normal commute to and from work does not.
What happens if an employer underpays the minimum wage?
The employer must pay back the arrears, worked out at the current minimum wage rates, and can face a penalty of 200% of the arrears (at least £100 and no more than £20,000 for each worker) and be publicly named. Since April 2026, minimum wage enforcement has been the responsibility of the Fair Work Agency, with HMRC carrying out the work on its behalf until April 2027. Workers can report underpayment confidentially.
Get UK employment law change alerts
A short email when the law changes and what employers need to do. One or two a month. Free.