Overview

• The commission projects the national living wage will range from £12.55 to £12.86 an hour in April 2026 to maintain at least two-thirds of median earnings.
• A top rate of £12.86 an hour would add about £1,250 annually to a full-time worker’s earnings compared with this year’s £12.21 rate.
• Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds directed the LPC to factor in cost-of-living pressures, employment impacts and economic volatility when setting next year’s wage.
• The government has expanded the LPC’s remit to include consulting on ending discriminatory age bands, aiming to close the gap between adult and 18–20-year-old pay rates.
• Formal advice is scheduled for delivery in October, ahead of the government’s final decision for implementation in April 2026.