Minimum wage rates for April 2027 confirmed for every age group

What has happened

On 28 October 2026 the government announced the minimum wage rates that will apply from April 2027. It accepted in full the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission, the independent body that advises on the minimum wage. The Commission sent its advice to the government on 23 October 2026.

The National Living Wage, the legal minimum for workers aged 21 and over, will rise by 50p to £13.21 an hour. The rate for 18 to 20 year olds will rise by 42p to £11.27. The rate for 16 and 17 year olds and the Apprentice Rate will both rise by 31p to £8.31. Each of these is a rise of 3.9 per cent. The accommodation offset, the amount an employer can deduct from your wages each day for accommodation, will rise to £11.53.

The Commission says the new adult rate is above the range of inflation forecasts for April 2027 to March 2028, so it expects the rise to protect the rate in real terms. It also says it has paused closing the gap between the 18 to 20 rate and the adult rate this year, because demand for young workers has slowed.

What it means for you

Until April 2027 the current rates still apply, and GOV.UK lists them by age. The rates change on 1 April every year. The Apprentice Rate applies if you are under 19, or 19 or over and in the first year of your apprenticeship. Once you are 19 or over and have finished that first year, you are entitled to the minimum wage for your age.

If you get Universal Credit and your wages go up, your Universal Credit payment will go down. GOV.UK explains that for every £1 you earn from working, your payment goes down by 55p. Your income is then your wages plus your new Universal Credit payment. Some people with children, a disability or a health condition can earn a certain amount first before their payment starts to reduce.

The National Living Wage is a legal minimum. It is not the same as the UK Living Wage or the London Living Wage. Those are voluntary pay benchmarks worked out by the Living Wage Foundation, and employers can choose whether to sign up to them.

Who it affects

Workers who are paid at or near the minimum wage, including apprentices and young workers, from April 2027.

What you can do

• If money is tight now, get free debt advice from MoneyHelper, StepChange, National Debtline or Citizens Advice. They can help you plan your budget around your current pay.
• Check your current hourly rate against the GOV.UK minimum wage rates, and use the GOV.UK minimum wage checker if you are not sure you are being paid enough.
• If you think you are being paid less than the minimum wage, contact Acas for free advice. Complaints about the minimum wage are passed to HMRC.
• If you get Universal Credit, use a benefits calculator to see how a pay rise in April 2027 could change your payment.

Sources

Every fact in this page was checked against these official sources on 2 November 2026.

1. LPC recommendations take the National Living Wage to £13.21 Low Pay Commission (GOV.UK)
2. National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates GOV.UK
3. Universal Credit: how your wages affect your payments GOV.UK

Written and fact-checked by the PiggyBank editorial team. Published 2 November 2026. This news is general information, not financial advice. How we write and check our guides.