In April 2026, the UK minimum wage for adults over the age of 21 will be 12.71 pounds per hour. For the 2026/27 financial year, there are four minimum wage categories, three of which are based on age and one for apprentice workers. Apprentices, and workers under the age of 18 will have a minimum wage of eight pounds an hour, increasing to 10.85 pounds for those aged 18 to 20. When the minimum wage was first introduced in 1999, there were just two age categories; 18 to 21, and 22 and over. This increased to three categories in 2004, four in 2010, and five between 2016 and 2023, before being reduced down to four in the most recent year. The living wage The living wage is an alternative minimum wage amount that employers in the UK can voluntarily pay their employees. It is calculated independently of the legal minimum wage and results in a higher value figure. In 2023/24, for example, the living wage was twelve pounds an hour for the UK as a whole and 13.15 for workers in London, where the cost of living is typically higher. This living wage is different from what the UK government has named the national living wage, which was 10.42 in the same financial year. Between 2011/12 and 2023/24, the living wage has increased by 4.80 pounds, while the London living wage has grown by 4.85 pounds. Wage growth cancelled-out by high inflation 2021-2023 For a long period between the middle of 2021 and late 2023, average wage growth in the UK was unable to keep up with record inflation levels, resulting in the biggest fall in disposable income since 1956. Although the UK government attempted to mitigate the impact of falling living standards through a series of cost of living payments, the situation has still been very difficult for households. After peaking at 11.1 percent in October 2022, the UK's inflation rate remained in double figures until March 2023, and did not fall to the preferred rate of two percent until May 2024. As of November 2024, regular weekly pay in the UK was growing by 5.6 percent in nominal terms, and 2.5 percent when adjusted for inflation.

From April 2026 onwards, the UK's main national minimum wage category, the national living wage, will rise to ***** pounds per hour, up from ***** pounds per hour in the previous financial year. This amount will apply to workers aged 21 and over, compared with 2022 and 2023 when it was only for workers aged 23 and over, and for those aged 25 and over between 2016 and 2021. The main minimum wage from 2010 to 2015 was the 21+ rate, and 22+ rate between 1999 and 2009. Evolution of the minimum wage Since its introduction in 1999, the minimum wage has had various rate categories, usually based on age. For the first five years, there were two categories, one for workers 18 to 21, and another for workers aged 22 and over. In 2004, a minimum wage for under 18s was introduced, and between 2010 and 2015 there were three rates based on age, and one for apprenticeships. Another age based-rate was added in 2016, but from 2024 onwards, the model will revert to four rate categories overall. In addition to the legal minimum wage, there is also a voluntary real living wage, which for 2024/25 is **** pounds per hour, rising to ***** pounds per hour for workers in London. Wages continue to outpace inflation in 2024 Since July 2023, wages have grown faster than inflation in the UK with December 2024 seeing regular weekly earnings grow by *** percent, compared with the CPI inflation rate of *** percent that month. For almost two years between November 2021 and June 2023, wage growth struggled to keep up with inflation, with the biggest gap occurring in October 2022 when inflation peaked at **** percent. The fall in real earnings in one of the most important factors in the UK's ongoing cost of living crisis. At the height of the crisis, around ** percent of UK households were reporting a monthly increase in their cost of living, with this falling to ** percent by March 2024.

For workers under the age of **, the national minimum wage in the United Kingdom will be ******British pounds per hour as from April 2026. This is an increase of **** pounds when compared with 2024 when the minimum wage for this age group was **** pounds. This particular minimum wage category was ***** pounds when it was first introduced in 2004, five years after the launch of the minimum age for workers aged 19 or over. Minimum wage rates history In 1999, when the UK minimum wage was first introduced, there were two different wage rates; one for those aged 18 to 21, and another for those aged 22 or over. These two rates were joined by an under ** rate in 2004, and then in 2010 the minimum wage was reorganized to include a rate for apprentice workers, while the top rate was increased to include workers aged 21. As of 2025, after several further waves of reorganization, there are **** different wage categories. For workers aged 21 and over, the minimum hourly wage is ***** pounds, falling to *** pounds for ** to 20-year-olds, and 7.55 pounds for under 18s and apprentices. Wages continue growing in 2025 As of January 2025, weekly wages were growing by approximately *** percent, the twentieth-consecutive month of wage growth following a long period of wages falling. High inflation throughout 2022 and 2023, meant that prices were rising faster than pay for a long twenty-month period between ************* and *********. With inflation down, and wages still growing, there are hopeful signs the UK might be over the worst of the Cost of Living Crisis, ongoing since late 2021. As of **********, however, almost ** percent of UK households were still reporting an increase in their living costs, relative to the previous month.

Number of UK jobs paid below minimum wage by sex, age, occupation and industry, and region. Annual estimates, 1998 to 2025. Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

The voluntarily paid living wage in the United Kingdom for 2025/26 will be 13.45 pounds per hour in 2025/26, with this rising to 14.8 pounds per hour for workers in London. From April 1, 2026, the legal minimum wage for those over the age of 21 will be 12.21 pounds per hour.

Comprehensive salary data for over 200 roles across all major UK industries, including percentiles and regional variations. Updated for 2025/26 tax year.

Minimum Wages in the United Kingdom increased to 12.21 GBP/Hour in 2025 from 11.44 GBP/Hour in 2024. This dataset provides - United Kingdom Minimum Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

The median hourly earnings for full-time employees in the United Kingdom was 19.74 British pounds in 2025, compared with 18.72 pounds in the previous year. At the start of this provided time period, in 1997, the average hourly wage in the UK was 7.92 pounds per hour, rising to more than ten pounds per hour by 2003, and above 15 pounds per hour by 2020. Minimum and living wage in the UK In the United Kingdom, employers are expected to pay their employees a minimum wage that is determined by how old they are. Under 18s for example, had a minimum wage of 5.28 British pounds in 2023, with the figure increasing to 7.49 pounds those aged 18 to 20, 10.18 for 21 to 22 year old's, and 10.42 for those aged 23 and over. There is also a voluntarily paid living Wage that employers can choose to pay their workers. For the 2023/24 financial year this was twelve pounds an hour, rising to 13.15 pounds an hour for workers based in London. Icelandic the highest earners in Europe Iceland had the highest average annual wage in the Europe in 2022 at around 79,500 U.S dollars. This was followed by Luxembourg at 78,300 dollars, Switzerland at 72,990 and Belgium at 64,850 dollars. The United Kingdom’s average annual wage amounted to around 53,985 U.S dollars in the same year. In this year, the country with the lowest annual salary in Europe was Greece, at 25,980 pounds per year.

National Minimum Wage data was reported at 726.000 BYN in Dec 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 726.000 BYN for Nov 2025. National Minimum Wage data is updated monthly, averaging 400.000 BYN from Jan 2017 (Median) to Dec 2025, with 108 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 726.000 BYN in Dec 2025 and a record low of 265.000 BYN in Dec 2017. National Minimum Wage data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Belarus – Table BY.G: Official Minimum Wages.

Wages for regular pay in the United Kingdom grew by approximately 4.6 percent in the three months to September 2025, compared with 4.7 percent in the previous month. When adjusted for inflation, however, wage in the UK grew by just 0.5 percent. Twenty months of inflation outpacing wages Between November 2021 and June 2023, inflation was higher than wage growth in the UK, resulting in falling real terms earnings throughout this 20-month period. While UK inflation peaked at 11.1 percent in October 2022, it was not until April 2023 that it fell below double figures, and not until May 2024 that it reached the Bank of England's target of two percent. Forecasts from the Autumn 2024 budget predict that the annual UK inflation for 2024 will be 2.5 percent, down from 7.3 percent in 2023 and 9.1 percent in 2022. Due to high inflation, the UK's minimum wage also rose quite significantly during this period, with the "main" rate increasing from 8.91 pounds per hour in 2021 to 12.21 pounds per hour in 2025. Average earnings and gender pay gap For full-time workers in the United Kingdom, the median average annual earnings was just over 39,000 British pounds in 2025, compared with around 37,500 pounds in 2024. In London, average earnings were significantly higher than the rest of the country, at just under 50,000 pounds. Just two other areas of the United Kingdom, the South East and Scotland, had annual salaries above the UK average. North East England had the lowest average salary, at 34,400 pounds. As of 2025, the gender pay gap for median gross hourly earnings in the UK was 12.8 percent for all workers, falling to 6.9 percent for full-time workers and -2.9 percent for part-time workers. Compared with 1997, when the gender pay gap was 27.5 percent for all workers, there has been a degree of progress, although, at current trends, it will be some time before the gap is closed entirely.

Australia National Minimum Hourly Wage Rate data was reported at 24.100 AUD in May 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 24.100 AUD for Apr 2025. Australia National Minimum Hourly Wage Rate data is updated monthly, averaging 18.290 AUD from Jul 2010 (Median) to May 2025, with 179 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 24.100 AUD in May 2025 and a record low of 15.000 AUD in Jun 2011. Australia National Minimum Hourly Wage Rate data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Fair Work Commission. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Australia – Table AU.G054: National Minimum Wage Rate.

The median annual earnings for full-time employees in the United Kingdom was just over 39,000 British pounds in 2025, compared with 37,400 pounds in the previous year. At the start of the provided time period, in 1999, the average full-time salary in the UK was 17,800 pounds per year, with median earnings exceeding 20,000 pounds per year in 2002, and 30,000 by 2019. Wages continue to grow faster than inflation in 2025 Between November 2021 and July 2023 inflation was higher than wage growth in the UK, with wages still outpacing inflation as of March 2025. At the peak of the recent wave of high inflation in October 2022, the CPI inflation rate reached a 41-year-high of 11.1 percent, wages were growing much slower at 6.1 percent. Since that peak, inflation remained persistently high for several months, only dropping below double figures in April 2023, when inflation was 8.7 percent, down from 10.1 percent in the previous month. For 2023 as a whole, the average annual rate of inflation was 7.3 percent but fell to 2.5 percent in 2024, but is forecast to increase to 3.2 percent in 2025. Highest and lowest-paid occupations As of 2023, the highest-paid occupation in the UK was that of Chief Executives and Senior Officials, who had an average weekly pay of approximately, 1,576 pounds. By contrast, the lowest-paid occupation that year was that of retail cashiers, and check-out operators, who earned approximately 383 pounds a week. For industry sectors as a whole, people who worked full-time in the electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply sector had the highest average earnings, at 955 pounds a week, compared with 505 pounds a week in the accommodation and food services sector, the lowest average earnings in 2023.

Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage: Guangdong data was reported at 2,500.000 RMB in 2025. This records an increase from the previous number of 2,300.000 RMB for 2024. Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage: Guangdong data is updated yearly, averaging 1,895.000 RMB from Dec 2005 (Median) to 2025, with 21 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,500.000 RMB in 2025 and a record low of 352.000 RMB in 2005. Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage: Guangdong data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security. The data is categorized under China Premium Database’s Labour Market – Table CN.GC: Standard of Monthly Minimum Wage.

Average weekly earnings at sector level headline estimates, Great Britain, monthly, seasonally adjusted. Monthly Wages and Salaries Survey.

South Korea Minimum Wage: Hourly data was reported at 10,030.000 KRW in Dec 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 10,030.000 KRW for Nov 2025. South Korea Minimum Wage: Hourly data is updated monthly, averaging 3,480.000 KRW from Jan 1989 (Median) to Dec 2025, with 444 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 10,030.000 KRW in Dec 2025 and a record low of 600.000 KRW in Dec 1989. South Korea Minimum Wage: Hourly data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Labour. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.G072: Minimum Wage.

Gross weekly and hourly earnings by level of occupation, UK, quarterly, not seasonally adjusted. Labour Force Survey. These are official statistics in development.

National Minimum Wage data was reported at 1,271,000.000 UZS in Dec 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 1,271,000.000 UZS for Nov 2025. National Minimum Wage data is updated monthly, averaging 37,680.000 UZS from Aug 1994 (Median) to Dec 2025, with 377 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,271,000.000 UZS in Dec 2025 and a record low of 100.000 UZS in Feb 1995. National Minimum Wage data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by President of the Republic of Uzbekistan. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Uzbekistan – Table UZ.G: Official Minimum Wages.

Greece Daily Minimum Wage: Blue Collar Workers data was reported at 37.070 EUR in Feb 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 37.070 EUR for Jan 2025. Greece Daily Minimum Wage: Blue Collar Workers data is updated monthly, averaging 27.180 EUR from Jan 2001 (Median) to Feb 2025, with 290 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 37.070 EUR in Feb 2025 and a record low of 20.880 EUR in Jun 2001. Greece Daily Minimum Wage: Blue Collar Workers data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Bank of Greece. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Greece – Table GR.G030: Minimum Wages.

South Korea Minimum Wage: Monthly data was reported at 2,096,270.000 KRW in Dec 2025. This stayed constant from the previous number of 2,096,270.000 KRW for Nov 2025. South Korea Minimum Wage: Monthly data is updated monthly, averaging 1,808,895.000 KRW from Jan 2016 (Median) to Dec 2025, with 120 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 2,096,270.000 KRW in Dec 2025 and a record low of 1,260,270.000 KRW in Dec 2016. South Korea Minimum Wage: Monthly data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Ministry of Labour. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.G072: Minimum Wage.