Check your minimum wage, net pay, and underpayment risk in one pass.
Built for workers paid hourly in the United Kingdom. The calculator uses the rates effective from 1 April 2026 and estimates take-home pay for the 2026/27 tax year.
What it checks
Wage floor, deductions, and net pay
Who it suits
School leaving age+, apprentices, part-time and full-time workers
April 2026 legal rates
National Minimum Wage snapshot
21 and over
£12.71/hr
18 to 20
£10.85/hr
16 to 17
£8.00/hr
Apprentice
£8.00/hr
Calculator inputs
Run your wage check
Enter your age, pay, and any deductions tied to the job. The result panel updates immediately.
Worker details
Pay details
Minimum wage audit extras
Live result
Your pay clears the legal floor
Applicable minimum rate: £12.71/hr (21 and over).
Buffer vs minimum
+£0.00
Gross pay vs statutory minimum
Estimated take-home pay
Compliance audit
Accommodation offset is capped at £11.10 per day. Charges above that cap reduce the pay counted for minimum wage purposes. Free employer accommodation can add the same amount instead.
Birthday tracker
Countdown to the next legal age-band jump
Your minimum wage band rises by £1.86/hr in 37 days.
The next threshold date is 20 May 2026. Your band would move from £10.85/hr to £12.71/hr.
Employers must apply the higher legal rate from the first pay reference period starting on or after that date.
Age-band landing pages
Search-ready guides for each main UK wage band
Each page focuses on one rate group so workers can land directly on the rule that applies to them, then jump back into the calculator.
Age 21+
21 and over
£12.71/hr
If you are 21 or older, the 1 April 2026 legal minimum rate is £12.71 an hour before looking at accommodation adjustments or other job-related deductions.
Age 18-20
18 to 20
£10.85/hr
Workers aged 18 to 20 move onto a legal minimum of £10.85 an hour from 1 April 2026, with the next age-band step usually arriving at 21.
Age 16-17
16 to 17
£8.00/hr
The legal minimum for 16 to 17 year olds is £8.00 an hour from 1 April 2026, before looking at any work-related costs that can reduce the pay counted for compliance.
Apprentices
Apprentice rate
£8.00/hr
The apprentice rate is £8.00 an hour from 1 April 2026, but older apprentices move onto age-based minimum wage bands once they are 19 or over and no longer in year one.
FAQ
Practical checks workers ask before challenging pay
What is the UK minimum wage from 1 April 2026?
From 1 April 2026 the hourly legal minimum is £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over, £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds, and £8.00 for 16 to 17 year olds. The apprentice rate is £8.00.
Does accommodation affect the minimum wage check?
Yes. Employer accommodation is handled through a daily accommodation offset. Free accommodation can increase the pay counted for minimum wage, while charges above the daily cap reduce it.
Do uniform costs count against my minimum wage?
If you have to pay for uniforms, tools, or dress-code items needed for the job, those costs can reduce the pay counted for minimum wage purposes even when they are not deducted straight from payroll.
Is the take-home estimate exact?
It is an estimate based on the 2026/27 tax year, a standard Personal Allowance, and employee National Insurance category A. Real payslips can differ if you have pension deductions, student loans, Scottish tax, salary sacrifice, or a non-standard tax code.
Source 1
HMRC minimum wage rates
Official April 2026 hourly rates for 21+, 18 to 20, 16 to 17, and apprentice workers.
Source 2
HMRC rates and thresholds
Personal Allowance, PAYE bands, and employee National Insurance used for the 2026/27 take-home estimate.
Source 3
Low Pay Commission
Policy context behind each annual uprating, useful when you want to understand how the legal wage floor moves.