Around two million workers across the UK have will get a near inflation-matching pay rise in April when new national minimum pay rates are increased.
Almost all workers in the UK are entitled to be paid at least the National Minimum Wage (NMW), or the National Living Wage (NLW) if they are aged 23 or over.
According to the Government, around two million of the UK’s lowest-paid workers will benefit from the rise.
Under the changes, the NLW will increase by 9.7 per cent to £10.42 per hour – representing an increase of nearly £1 per hour. For those aged 21 and 22, the rate is higher at 10.9 per cent.
The Low Pay Commission estimates that there were two million workers paid at or below the minimum wage in April 2020, around seven per cent of all UK workers.
The rates change on 1 April every year and for 2023/2024 they are:
April 2023 Current rate percentage
| National Living Wage | £10.42 | £9.50 | (9.7 per cent) |
| 21-22 rate | £10.18 | £9.18 | (10.9 per cent) |
| 18-20 rate | £7.49 | £6.83 | (9.7 per cent) |
| 16-17 rate | £5.28 | £4.81 | (9.7 per cent) |
| Apprentice rate | £5.28 | £4.81 | (9.7 per cent) |
Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either:
Am I entitled to the NMW?
The Government say almost all workers are entitled to the National Minimum Wage, including:
However, if you’re self-employed or a company director, you’re not entitled to the National Minimum Wage.
The Government says these increases represent another step on the path to the Government’s target of an NLW set at two-thirds of median earnings by 2024.
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