Minimum wage in the UK

Employers in the UK are required to pay their staff a minimum wage for every hour they work. The minimum amount staff must earn is determined by their age at the time of employment, and in some cases the capacity they’re hired in (apprentices, for example, receive a lower pay rate).

As of 1 April 2024, the minimum wage for employees in the UK is as follows:

Age/employment type	Rate
21+ years (National Living Wage)	£11.44
18–20 years	£8.60
16-17 years	£6.40
Apprentice	£6.40

Be aware that, despite their similar sounding names, the National Living Wage (which is actually just the minimum wage for those aged 23 and older), is not the same thing as the Real Living Wage.

Calculating payroll can be time-consuming for managers, and can often lead to staff being either over- or underpaid for the work they do. By using modern Time & Attendance software, business owners can quickly generate accurate, easy-to-understand payroll reports based on their employees’ exact clocking in and out times, helping them prepare for payroll without the need for manual data entry.