Minimum Wage Checker
Check whether your pay meets the UK National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage for your age.
About the Minimum Wage Checker
Enter your age, whether you're an apprentice, and your pay as an hourly rate or a total for the hours worked. The calculator checks it against the UK minimum for your age.
From 1 April 2026 the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour; the minimum wage is £10.85 for 18–20-year-olds and £8.00 for under-18s and apprentices (apprentices aged 19+ get their age rate after the first year). The rate is checked on average hourly pay over each pay period, after certain deductions.
The formula
Average hourly pay = gross pay for the period ÷ hours worked
Worked example
Age 23 on £12.50 an hour
- The National Living Wage from 1 April 2026 is £12.71
- Underpaid by £0.21 an hour
Questions people ask
Is the minimum wage different in Scotland or Wales?
No, it's UK-wide (the voluntary Real Living Wage is separate).
Does tips count?
No, tips can't be used to make up the minimum wage.
Sources
The rules and rates this calculator uses come from the official pages below. Its results are estimates, not an official determination, and rules change, so check the latest figures there before you act on them.