The National Living Wage (NLW), which covers all workers aged 21 and over apart from those in the first year of an apprenticeship, rose by 6.7% to £12.21 on 1 April. This figure represents two-thirds of median earnings in October 2025 as projected by the Low Pay Commission (LPC), which advises the Government on the level of the statutory minimum.
Increases for younger workers are proportionally higher: the National Minimum Wage (NMW) ‘youth rate’ for 18- to 20-year-olds has risen by 16.3% to sit at £10.00, as the first step towards the eventual expansion of the ‘adult’ rate to this cohort of the workforce. In its 2024 annual report, published this February, the LPC announced its intention to consult with employers on the best way of achieving this aim, the two options being either to increase the rate for 18 to 20-year-olds until it aligns with the NLW or to gradually reduce the age of entitlement until everyone aged 18 and over is covered. The LPC has cautioned that this latest expansion of the NLW entails greater risks than previous such exercises as this cohort is more likely to be paid below the full NLW rate than those aged 21 to 22 were before they were brought into its scope. Meanwhile 16- and 17-year-olds and apprentices in their first year of training are now on a minimum rate of £7.55, up 18.0% from 2023.
