Pay & Work
Are you being paid the legal minimum?
Check your hourly rate against the National Living Wage / National Minimum Wage for your age.
Minimum wage checker
Check your pay against the legal minimum for your age — 2026/27 rates
Legal minimum
£13 /hr
National Living Wage (21+)
Your rate vs minimum
✗ Below minimum
£12/hr paid
Weekly shortfall
£42
vs legal minimum
Uses the legal minimum rates effective from 1 April 2026: £12.71/hr (21+), £10.85/hr (18–20), £8.00/hr (under 18 and most apprentices). Doesn't account for accommodation offsets or complex pay structures.
The National Living Wage (21 and over) and National Minimum Wage (under 21 and apprentices) are legal minimums your employer must pay — it's illegal to pay below them even if you signed a contract agreeing to a lower rate. Rates rise every 1 April, so it's worth rechecking your pay each spring, especially around a birthday that moves you into a higher age band. If you think you're being underpaid, HMRC investigates complaints and can order back pay plus penalties.
Frequently asked questions
What is the National Living Wage in 2026/27?
£12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over.
What is the minimum wage for under-21s?
£10.85 an hour for ages 18–20, and £8.00 an hour for under-18s and most apprentices, in 2026/27.