PAYadvice.UK have a number of articles which cover National Minimum Wage law in the United Kingdom.
This page brings together articles that have been published to address the responsibilities and duties of employers to pay at or above minimum wage levels. What obligations does an employer have, what is counted as time for minimum pay purposes and what earnings are utilised.
The following table defines the minimum pay rates for April 2025 and April 2026 and how they have changed:
PAYadvice.UK publishes and updates the payroll and HR industry on the changes that impacts minimum pay law:
A large number of employers, including household names, are shamed by the UK government for failing to pay at least minimum pay levels and are found to be exploiting their employees and workers. In October 2025, the Department for Business and Trade published the latest shaming list of employer who had breached NMW law.
In the past they had illustrated the main reasons employers (some household name) broke minimum pay law.
PAYadvice.UK published a number of articles which covered the detail:
Official resources
Government resources on National Minimum Wage can be found at:
The Real Living Wage from the Living Wage Foundation
Over 16,000 UK employers have now signed up to join the voluntary real Living Wage promoted by the Living Wage foundation. They also promote real hours to combat worker exploitation resulting from Zero or Low Hour contracts when the regular hours worked are much more.
But be careful, paying the Living Wage, although perceptually higher than the National Living Wage, does not guarantee that an employer is not breaching National Minimum Wage law. In fact, a proportion of those employer names as breaching NMW were registered as Living Wage Employers.
Can PAYadvice help?
If an employer has concerns on whether they have challenges with understanding National Minimum Wage law, or want a more affordable and friendly discussion or audit, please feel free to make contact with PAYadvice:
Contact PAYadvice for help with Minimum Pay
We have expertise in Salary Sacrifice arrangements, National Minimum Wage Law and Holiday Pay law. We can also help with project implementing the Real Living Wage.
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DonateDonate monthlyDonate yearlyPAYadvice.UK First published 24/10/2023 Last updated 19/3/2026