UK Minimum Wage Rise September 2025: Rates and Dates

If you’ve heard talk about a UK minimum wage rise linked to September 2025, the picture is more nuanced than a single announcement date. The increases that matter most for workers and employers actually take effect in April each year—and the most recent ones landed in April 2025, with the next round due in April 2026.

NLW 21+ April 2025: £12.21 · 18-20 rate April 2025: £10.00 · 2026 NLW projection: £12.71 · LPC 2025 report submitted: 24 Oct 2025 · 2025 rise percentage: 6.7%

The table below shows the confirmed April 2025 rates alongside the projected April 2026 figures.

What is the new minimum wage for 2025 in the UK?

The National Living Wage (NLW) is the primary hourly floor for workers aged 21 and over. From 1 April 2025, it rose to £12.21 per hour—a 6.7% uplift from the previous rate of £11.44, following acceptance by the government of recommendations from the Low Pay Commission. The increases were announced in the Autumn Budget 2024 and took effect through secondary legislation on 1 April 2025.

The younger age bands saw even sharper increases: the 18-20 rate jumped from £8.60 to £10.00, a 16.3% rise, while rates for 16-17 year olds and apprentices rose from £6.40 to £7.55, an 18% increase.

The April 2025 changes affected approximately 2.4 million full-time workers. The 6.7% NLW rise contributed between 0.06 and 0.24 percentage points to inflation at a time when headline inflation was running at 3.5%, according to analysis from the Minimum Wage Blog on GOV.UK. The Bank of England estimated the increase pushed annual pay growth by 0.2 percentage points.

The Low Pay Commission noted it balanced economic conditions, inflation trends, and real-terms purchasing power when making its recommendations. The government accepted the proposals in full via secondary legislation effective 1 April 2025, as confirmed in official government publications.

Is the minimum wage going up in 2026 in the UK?

Yes. The Low Pay Commission submitted its 2026 recommendations on 24 October 2025, and the Autumn Budget 2025 confirmed acceptance of these proposals. From 1 April 2026, the NLW for 21 and over will rise to £12.71—a 4.1% increase of 50 pence per hour. Chancellor Rachel Reeves stated that raising the National Living Wage and National Minimum Wage was a direct response to the cost of living being the number one issue for working people.

The proposed rate would meet the government’s target of bringing the NLW to two-thirds of median earnings. The LPC calculated that this increase would give workers a real-terms pay rise while maintaining a cautious approach to avoid triggering youth unemployment.

For a full-time worker on the NLW, the April 2026 increase translates to roughly £900 more per year before tax. This follows the pattern of recent years, where each annual increase has added a meaningful sum to the annual earnings of minimum-wage workers.

The policy direction is clear: the government is committed to further narrowing the gap between younger workers and the adult NLW. The longer-term aim is a single adult rate from age 18, though the transition will be gradual.

What is the new UK minimum wage in 2026?

Hourly rates by age band for April 2026 are projected as follows: the 21+ NLW reaches £12.71, the 18-20 rate climbs to £10.85, and both the 16-17 rate and apprentice rate move to £8.00. These figures come from the Low Pay Commission Report 2025, with the 2026 projections confirmed by the Autumn Budget 2025.

The 18-20 increase of 8.5% is notably steeper than the 21+ rise, reflecting a deliberate policy to close the gap with the National Living Wage. According to R. A. Leslie & Co., the 18-20 increase to £10.85 means around £1,500 more per year for a full-time worker. The government aims to narrow this gap progressively, eventually extending the NLW principle to workers aged 18 and over.

To put these figures in context, a full-time worker aged 21+ earning the NLW from April 2026 would earn approximately £24,781 annually before tax (based on 37.5 hours per week). Annual equivalents for other bands scale accordingly.

Is minimum wage going up in October 2025?

There is no standalone minimum wage increase in October 2025. The Low Pay Commission submitted its annual report on 24 October 2025, but this contained recommendations for the April 2026 rates—not the rates themselves. The actual increases take effect on 1 April each year, and the next implementation date is April 2026.

The “September 2025” context in searches likely reflects the period when the LPC’s work was ongoing, with the October submission following. The Autumn Budget 2025, which was announced in late October 2025, confirmed the government’s acceptance of the LPC’s recommendations. The full picture of 2026 rates emerged in autumn, but workers won’t see the extra pounds in their pay packets until April.

So if you’re wondering whether to expect a pay change in October: the answer is no. But the decisions that will shape April 2026 pay packets were being made in autumn 2025.

One thing to note: the age threshold for the NLW was lowered from 23 to 21 from April 2024. This means that from April 2025, workers aged 21 and over are entitled to the higher NLW rate, not just the standard NMW.

What is the minimum wage for a 16 year old UK?

The minimum wage for a 16 or 17 year old in the UK falls under the apprentice and youth rates, not the NLW. From April 2025, the rate for 16-17 year olds is £7.55 per hour. From April 2026, this is projected to rise to £8.00. Apprentice rates follow the same figure: £7.55 currently, £8.00 from April 2026.

Apprentice rates apply to apprentices aged under 19, or those aged 19 and over in the first year of their apprenticeship. After completing the first year, apprentices are entitled to the rate for their age group—potentially the 18-20 or 21+ rate.

These lower rates reflect the lower minimum wage thresholds set for younger workers, though the government has indicated its intent to reduce this disparity over time. The 18-20 rate of £10.00 from April 2025 (rising to £10.85 in 2026) sits between the under-18 rate and the NLW, creating a graduated structure.

Summary

The minimum wage landscape for 2025-2026 in the UK is defined by a pattern of annual increases, with the most recent effective rise in April 2025 and the next confirmed for April 2026. Workers aged 21 and over saw a 6.7% NLW jump to £12.21 in April 2025, while the next step takes the NLW to £12.71—a more modest 4.1% but one that adds roughly £900 to annual earnings for a full-time worker. The sharpest percentage increases are reserved for younger age bands: the 18-20 rate climbs 8.5% to £10.85 in April 2026, reflecting a deliberate policy to narrow the gap with the adult NLW. Employers in retail, hospitality, and social care—industries with high proportions of minimum-wage workers—will need to budget accordingly. For workers, the practical question isn’t whether wages will rise, but whether they want to understand and claim what they’re entitled to.

Related reading: National Minimum Wage rates · Low Pay Commission Report 2025

The September 2025 rise builds on April’s £12.21 rate, with the October 2025 wage update outlining 2026 projections in detail.

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