National Minimum Wage rates from April 2026
- John Massey
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
From 1 April 2026 the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rises to £12.71.
The £0.50 increase represents a 4.1% uplift, equivalent to an extra £1,000 per year for a full-time worker.
How is your business coping with it's rising wage bill?
The table below shows the current 2026 NMW rate + the historic rates since April 2020 (COVID).
Notice just how rapidly wage costs have risen in the 6 years since COVID.
For workers aged 21+, the cumulative increase is 46%.
Apprentices’ minimum pay has nearly doubled.
On top of that, employers’ NIC increased by 1.2% in April 2025.
To keep pace with these increases, the Self-Employed would have needed to raise prices by 7–15% every year. Have you managed that?
Plan Ahead
Ensure your payroll settings are updated and that employees are notified in advance. Clear communication can support good staff relations — and it also helps clarify that any overtime worked before 1 April will still be paid at the previous rate.
National Minimum Wage Rates for Apprentices
An individual qualifies for the apprentice rate if they are:
under 19, or
19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship.
Auto-Enrolment Pension Rates and Thresholds
The Workplace Pension auto-enrolment trigger remains £10,000 per year.
Minimum contribution rates also remain unchanged:
Employer: 3%
Employee: 5%
The qualifying earnings band stays the same:
Lower limit: £6,240
Upper limit: £50,270
Note: The Lower limit is the threshold at which non-eligible jobholders (those not auto-enrolled) can ask their employers to opt-in. It's also the threshold over which 3% and 5% contributions are paid.
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