New minimum wage rates come into force [for pay reference period starting{ from 1st April [2026], following Low Pay Commission recommendations.
Increased rates of the National Minimum Wage, including the National Living wage came into force for pay reference period from 1st April 2026. These rates bring into effect recommendations made by the Low Pay Commission autumn 2025
The new rates compared with prior rates are:
Millions of hard-working people are set to get a pay rise of up to £1,500, as the National Minimum and Living Wages rise today.
Baroness Philippa Stroud, Chair of the Low Pay Commission:
The recommendations we made last autumn sought to balance the need to protect the economy and labour market, whilst providing a real-terms increase for the lowest-paid members of society.
A lot has changed since we gave our advice to the Government last autumn, and we are now beginning to gather evidence for recommendations later this year. The current economic uncertainty makes it essential that the Commission hears from those affected by the minimum wage and builds consensus for evidence-based recommendations.
To mark the uprating, the Low Pay Commission has published a report looking at the immediate impacts of the new rates. It has also published a consultation to inform its recommendations on future minimum wage rates.
So when do these rates actually apply
These minimum rates are enforceable on employer with 389 recently named and shamed fur breaching National Minimum Wage requirements.
The regulations require employers to apply the rates based on the pay reference period and not necessarily when a day is actually worked.
The 1st April 2026 uplift point refers to the start date of the pay reference period and not directly when work is done.
Where the pay reference period start is in or before 1st April 2026, then the new rates apply.
Where the pay reference period started, let’s say Sunday 29th March 2026, then the new rates do not apply under regulation until the start of the next regular pay reference period.
Do employers really underpay?
389 employers of all sizes were recently named and shamed for breaching National Minimum Wage regulations. From both small to well known large brand names, minimum wage breach’s are more widespread than you would think possible.
The rules are complex, however, employers need to make sure they are paying a fair and legal amount of pay – some obviously are continuing to fail to do so.
Minimum pay breach is one of the areas where enforcement is part of the new Fair Work Agency (FWA) which commences on Tuesday 7th April 2026.
- The LPC’s recommendations were submitted to the Government on 27th October 2025. The Government announced acceptance of those recommendations at the Autumn Budget on Wednesday 26th November 2026.
- The remit to the LPC, which determines the Commission’s work through the year, was published on 16th March 2026and is available here.
- The National Living Wage (NLW) is currently the statutory minimum wage for workers aged 21 and over. This age threshold came down from 25 to 23 in April 2021 and from 23 to 21 in April 2024.
Who are the Low Pay Commission?
The Low Pay Commission is an independent body made up of employers, trade unions and experts whose role is to advise the Government on the minimum wage.
The rate recommendations introduced from 1st April 2026 were agreed unanimously by the Commission.
The current Low Pay Commissioners are:
- Baroness Philippa Stroud (Chair),
- Nigel Cotgrove,
- Matthew Fell,
- Andrew Goodacre,
- Louise Fisher,
- Professor Patricia Rice,
- Simon Sapper,
- Professor Jonathan Wadsworth
- and Janet Williamson.
PAYadvice.UK 1/4/2026