Calculator · Employment
National Minimum Wage checker
Enter the worker's age, hours, and pay to check whether their rate complies with the 2025/26 National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage.
Tax year 2025/26
Calculator answer
Enter your figures to estimate the result for the 2025/26 tax year. The output is a planning estimate only and should be checked against HMRC guidance before filing or paying tax.
Worker type
Pay
Compliant
£12.21/hr — 0.0% above minimum
- Applicable rate
- National Living Wage (aged 21+)
- Minimum hourly rate
- £12.21/hr
- Actual hourly rate
- £12.21/hr
- Surplus above minimum
- £0.00/hr (0.0%)
How this calculator works
The National Living Wage (NLW) applies to workers aged 21 and over. The National Minimum Wage (NMW) applies to younger workers and apprentices, with different rates for each age band. Both are set by the government and reviewed annually each April.
The apprentice rate applies to apprentices who are either under 19, or aged 19 and over but in the first year of their apprenticeship. Once an apprentice is 19 or over and has completed their first year, they are entitled to the NMW rate for their age.
Failing to pay the NMW is a criminal offence. HMRC enforces compliance and can issue penalties of up to 200% of arrears, plus public naming. There is no minimum size threshold — the rules apply to all employers, including those with a single employee.