Each April, the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) increase. From 1 April 2026, employers across England and Wales will be required to implement a series of statutory pay increases affecting the National Minimum Wage, the National Living Wage, statutory sick pay and statutory family leave payments.
The new rates at a glance
The government has confirmed that the following NMW and NLW rates will apply from 1 April 2026:
- Workers aged 21 and over (NLW): £12.71 per hour (up from £12.21) — a 4.1% increase
- Workers aged 18 to 20: £10.85 per hour (up from £10) — an 8.5% increase
- Workers aged 16 to 17 and apprentices: £8 per hour (up from £7.55) — a 6% increase
Additional changes
Further changes will take effect from 6 April 2026:
- Statutory sick pay (SSP): increases from £118.75 to £123.25 per week, alongside the removal of the lower earnings limit
- Statutory family leave payments (including statutory maternity, paternity, adoption, shared parental, parental bereavement and neonatal care pay): increase from £187.18 to £194.32 per week for periods where the minimum cap applies
- Lower earnings limit: increases from £125 to £129 per week (£6,708 per year).
Employers should note that the NMW and NLW changes take effect on 1 April, while the statutory payment and threshold changes outlined above come into force on 6 April. These differing implementation dates should be reflected in payroll processing.
