Minimum wage in the
UK

SALARY PAYMENT IN British Pound (GBP, £)

CONTRACT LANGUAGE English

PAYROLL TAX 8.25%

PAYROLL CYCLE Monthly

TIME TO HIRE 12 hours
Get Started

Horizons-owned entity with local country experts in Manchester.

We offer fair, scalable, and transparent pricing on UK PEO service. Contact us for a cost breakdown

End service in the UK with no additional penalties or fees.

Complex UK pension calculations made simple with Horizons.

Hire and pay talents
with Horizons in
180+ countries

Get started

What is the minimum wage in the UK per hour?

The National Minimum Wage in the United Kingdom is determined on an hourly basis, and varies by age:

for those aged 23 and over: £9.50
for those aged 21-22: £9.18
for those aged 18-20: £6.83
for under-18s: £4.81
for employees on an apprenticeship scheme aged
under 19 or in the first year of the apprenticeship scheme: £4.81.

Are there regional variations in the UK’s minimum wage?

There are no regional variations for the United Kingdom minimum wage. The applicable rate of the National Minimum Wage for each age group applies nationally.

How has minimum wage in the UK changed in the last 5 years and beyond?

The National Living Wage has increased from £7.50 for the highest rate in April 2017 to £9.50 per hour in April 2022. Before 1 April 2021, the 21-22 band was for ages 21-24 and the highest rate applied to those aged 25 and over. This was changed in 2021 and the highest rate now applies to age 23 and over.

UK – Minimum Wage Over the Years
Date	Min. Wage, Hourly, 23+ (GBP)
2022	9.50
2021	8.91
2020	8.72
2019	8.21
2018	7.83
2017	7.50

How does the minimum wage in the UK compare to surrounding countries?

The UK ranks as having the eighth highest minimum wage in the world, below than France, Germany and Belgium, but above Spain, Ireland, Portugal and Greece.

Is there a different minimum wage for expats in the UK?

No, all workers in the UK must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage.

Hiring in the UK, Made Easy

Your business can easily hire employees in the UK without opening a local entity. We handle local employment law, complex tax regulations, and international payroll in 185 countries worldwide. All you need to do is focus on your business.

FAQs

What is the difference between the average salary and the minimum wage in the UK?

The median full-time annual salary is approximately £31,461, and the minimum wage is £18,525 annually (based on the National Living Wage of £9.50 per hour for age 23 and over, and a standard 37.5 hour working week).

Is it possible to hire skilled employees close to the minimum wage in the UK?

Minimum wage in the UK tends to apply to low skilled jobs. Skilled employees command much higher rates, with the exact amount dependent on the industry and skill required

Who is not entitled to the minimum wage in the UK?

Most workers are entitled to the minimum wage in the UK, but certain categories of workers are not. These include:

self-employed workers running their own business.
company directors.
voluntary workers.
members of the armed forces.
workers below age 16.
students on work experience or work placements of up to one year.

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

"As a seed-stage, London-based startup, we were initially hesitant to expand internationally due to the administrative workload involved. Horizons completely took the headache out of the process, allowing us to hire a team of software engineers in Germany."

Gabor SzedlakCo-founder & COO

"I truly appreciated the thoroughness and the professionalism of Horizons personnel while we hired internationally with them. When they advised our international expansion, they spoke confidently and were knowledgable on all subject matters pertaining to international employment."

Gary PaskyVice President of Software Development

"On deciding to begin commercial activities in Asia Pacific, we needed a provider to handle the employment and remuneration of our workforce. With Horizons the result was fast, efficient, and fit-for-purpose. We recommend Horizons as an EOR provider.”

Chris MorrellManaging Director

"The collaboration with the Horizons team is excellent. Both our local employee as well as our HQ in Germany are more than pleased with the support provided and the simplicity of the service. We can highly recommend the Horizons solution to anyone."

Christoph EngelbertCo-Founder & CTO

"We needed an EOR that could provide expert support for payroll in APAC. We are pleased with Horizons’ expertise and the fact that they are flexible, responsive, and easily accessible from Belgium. They were able to provide services within the short timeline we required."

Katia FlamandHuman Resources

Horizons has been very effective in providing our company support in all the administrative procedures, sometimes complex, required by the Singaporean administration.

Gerald iannoneSales Director

Horizons’ team provided a superb service from start to finish, making a complex process a simple one. Everything was taken care of in an efficient and accurate manner, with quick communication whenever required. Highly recommended and would use again in the future if the need arises.

Philipp RinbergerManaging Director

Global Benefits

Global Immigration

Talent Acquisition

About Horizons

Success Stories

Partner Program

Global Hubs

Careers

Insight

Inside Horizons

Help Center

Support

Global Payroll Calculator

Employee Misclassification Calculator

Minimum wage in the
UK

What is the minimum wage in the UK per hour?

Are there regional variations in the UK’s minimum wage?

How has minimum wage in the UK changed in the last 5 years and beyond?

How does the minimum wage in the UK compare to surrounding countries?

Is there a different minimum wage for expats in the UK?

Hiring in the UK, Made Easy

FAQs

Success stories from businesses we’ve helped enter and grow in new markets.

Client Testimonials

Hire Anywhere. Today.

Hire Anywhere. Today.

180+

3K+

1 day

100%

Europe

Americas