Overview
- Statutory hourly rates from April 2026 rise to £12.71 for ages 21+, £10.85 for 18–20, and £8.00 for under‑18s and apprentices, with employers required to apply them by May 2026.
- Standard Life estimates a full‑time worker on the new rate could contribute about £2,030 more per year into a pension and, if sustained to age 66, potentially build around £208,000.
- A 15‑hour week on the new rate would take annual earnings above the workplace‑pension threshold of roughly £10,000, and Standard Life’s calculations suggest a 16‑hour worker could amass about £84,100 by state pension age.
- Workers who suspect underpayment are advised to check payslips, seek guidance from ACAS, and can report employers to HMRC, which can issue fines or pursue cases in court.
- The voluntary Real Living Wage is set at £13.45 outside London and £14.80 in London, providing a higher benchmark that some employers already meet.