People have been urged to check their payslips and ensure they have been paid correctly since the new minimum wage rates have been in place for almost a month. Employers should update their records and pay people accordingly.
The National Minimum Wage is worked out at an hourly rate, but it applies to all eligible workers, even if they’re not paid by the hour. This means that, however someone gets paid, they still need to work out their equivalent hourly rate to see if they’re getting the minimum wage.
From April 1, people and their employers should be aware of the major change that will see bank balances increase as people are entitled to a better minimum wage.
What is the new National Minimum Wage in 2026?
HMRC recently posted on X that the National Minimum Wage had increased from April 1, 2026. Anyone working in roles that pay this rate should see an increase to their basic hourly rate as follows:
Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either under 19 or anyone over 19 who has not completed the first year of their apprenticeship. After the one-year mark, they should be paid by age (for example, if an apprentice is 21 or over, they should be paid a minimum of £12.71 per hour from their second year onwards).
If you are already paid above the new National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage, your employer is not legally required to increase your pay. Wage increases for those above minimum wage depend on company policy and are often at the discretion of a person’s job performance.
How to check if you are being paid right
People can find out if they are being paid correctly by using the National Minimum Wage and Living Wage calculator on the GOV.UK website. People do not need any specific documents to hand, but will need to know a few key details.
The tool asks people about their typical working hours and how often they are paid. It also takes into account if employers settle things like accommodation or other work expenses. See the calculator here.
GOV.UK says that people should act accordingly if they are being underpaid. On the official website, a statement reads: “If your payslip is wrong, immediately check for unauthorised deductions, incorrect hours, or tax errors, then contact your employer’s HR or payroll department informally to request a correction. If they fail to fix it quickly, formally raise a grievance, gather evidence of hours worked, or contact the Pay and Work Rights helpline.”