From 1st April 2026, the national minimum & national living wage will be increasing to the following:
| New | Old | |
| Apprentices* | £8.00 | £7.55 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 | £7.55 |
| 18-20 year olds | £10.85 | £10.00 |
| 21 & over | £12.71 | £12.21 |
*The apprentice rate only applies to enrolled apprentices under the age of 19. Any apprentices aged 19 & over must only receive this rate for the first 12 months of their apprenticeship, after which the rate applies to their age.
Please note that if we prepare your company’s payroll, it is still your responsibility to ensure that your employees are paid within the statutory guidelines above. You must therefore keep us informed of the appropriate level of remuneration for each employee.
If you have any queries at all, please contact Joe (joseph@stopfords.co.uk) or Aimee (aimee@stopfords.co.uk) in our payroll team.
