Minimum wage amount in the UK 1999-2021

In 2021, the national minimum wage for adults over the age of 25 in the United Kingdom was 8.91 British pounds an hour. This marked an increase of 1.71 British pounds since 2016, when the minimum wage for this age group was created. As of 2021, there are five minimum wage categories, four of which are based on age and one for apprentice workers. Workers under the age of 18 for example, had a minimum wage of 4.62 pounds an hour, with this increasing to 6.56 pounds for those aged 18 to 20, and then 8.36 pounds for those aged between 21 and 24. When the minimum wage was first introduced in 1999, there were just two age categories; 18 to 21, and 22 and over.

Lower minimum wage for younger workers

The minimum wage received by workers in the United Kingdom is based on how old they are. Workers aged between 18 and 20 years old had a minimum wage of 6.15 British pounds in 2019, while workers under the age of 18 can expect to earn a minimum wage of just 4.35 British pound in 2019.

National Living wage

The national living wage is the name given to the minimum wage for workers over the age of 25, and as of 2019 was 8.21 British pounds per hour. The difference between the national living wage and national minimum wage is currently 51 pence, but this gap is expected to grow soon, with a gap of almost 1 pound emerging by 2023.