Rates in this article are from GOV.UK and the Living Wage Foundation, checked on 4 November 2026. Pay and tax figures are our calculations, using income tax rates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Income tax is different in Scotland.

The National Living Wage is the legal minimum hourly rate for most workers aged 21 and over in the UK. It has been £12.71 an hour since 1 April 2026, and will rise to £13.21 an hour from 1 April 2027. This guide explains who it applies to, what it means in weekly and yearly pay, and what counts towards it.

Key takeaways

• The National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour in 2026/27, rising by 3.9% to £13.21 from April 2027.

• Workers aged under 21 and apprentices have lower minimum rates.

• Zero-hours workers are entitled to at least the minimum rate for every hour they work.

• Income tax and National Insurance are taken from pay above £12,570 a year, so take-home pay is lower than the gross rate.

What is the National Living Wage?

The National Living Wage is the minimum wage rate for workers aged 21 and over. The Government sets it each year after recommendations from the Low Pay Commission.

National Living Wage vs National Minimum Wage

The National Minimum Wage has lower rates for workers aged under 21 and for apprentices. The National Living Wage is the rate for workers aged 21 and over. Both are legal minimums that employers must pay.

The real Living Wage is different. It's a voluntary rate set by the Living Wage Foundation, which some employers choose to pay (see below).

Who gets the National Living Wage?

Most workers and employees aged 21 and over are entitled to it, including part-time, agency, casual and zero-hours workers. Some groups aren't entitled, including the self-employed and some volunteers. GOV.UK has the full list.

Minimum wage rates for 2026/27 and April 2027

Source: GOV.UK. The April 2027 rates were announced on 28 October 2026.

The apprentice rate applies to apprentices aged under 19, and to apprentices aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship. After that, they're entitled to the minimum rate for their age.

How much is the National Living Wage per week, month and year?

Our calculation, before tax, based on 52 weeks a year.

At £13.21 an hour, a full-time worker on 37.5 hours a week would earn £975 more a year before tax than at £12.71.

Take-home pay in 2026/27

Our calculation for 2026/27, assuming the standard £12,570 Personal Allowance, 20% basic-rate income tax and 8% employee National Insurance on earnings above £12,570. It excludes pension contributions, student loan repayments and other deductions. Your own figures depend on your tax code.

That's about £1,780 a month for a full-time worker. Someone working 15 hours a week on the National Living Wage earns less than £12,570 a year, so pays no income tax or National Insurance.

Workplace pensions

If you're aged between 22 and State Pension age and earn more than £10,000 a year, your employer must enrol you in a workplace pension. The minimum total contribution is 8% of your qualifying earnings (earnings between £6,240 and £50,270 in 2026/27). Your employer must pay at least 3%. You can choose to opt out.

What counts towards the National Living Wage?

• Counts: basic pay, bonuses and commission.

• Doesn't count: tips, gratuities, service charges and cover charges, even if they're paid through payroll. The extra part of overtime or shift pay above your basic rate doesn't count either.

Your employer must pay at least the minimum rate for each hour you work, before tips.

Zero-hours contracts

If you're a worker on a zero-hours contract, you must be paid at least the minimum rate for your age for every hour you work.

The real Living Wage and London Living Wage

The real Living Wage is a voluntary rate set by the Living Wage Foundation, based on the cost of living. It applies to workers aged 18 and over at employers that choose to pay it. In October 2026, the Foundation announced new rates of £14.10 an hour across the UK and £15.45 an hour in London. Accredited employers have until 1 May 2027 to pay them. According to the Foundation, a full-time worker on the new real Living Wage would earn more than £2,700 a year more than one on the National Living Wage of £12.71.

How the National Living Wage compares with average pay

According to the ONS, median full-time hourly pay (excluding overtime) was £20.81 in April 2026, and median annual pay for full-time employees who had been in their job for at least a year was £40,911. These are provisional figures. The National Living Wage of £12.71 is about 61% of that median hourly rate.

Read more:

• Average Salary UK

• Average UK household budget