Pay at work
Your employer must pay you at least the legal minimum wage. This guide explains how pay works and what to do if you think you're being underpaid.
Workers must be paid:
- National Minimum Wage (under 21 or apprentices)
- National Living Wage (21 and over)
Employers can choose to pay more than the minimum wage.
The current hourly rates (from April 2026) are:
- Apprentice – £8
- Under 18 – £8
- Age 18 to 20 – £10.85
- Age 21 or over – £12.71
An apprentice is entitled to be paid at least the apprentice rate if they’re either:
- under 19
- 19 or over, and in the first year of their current apprenticeship agreement
If they’re 19 or over and have completed the first year of their current apprenticeship, they’re entitled to be paid at least the minimum wage for their age.
Your pay might include:
- hourly wages or salary
- overtime pay
- bonuses or commission
- sick pay
- holiday pay
By law you should receive a payslip showing your earnings and deductions.
Payslips are given on or before the day you’re paid. They show:
- how much pay you’re getting for a certain period
- ‘deductions’ – this is what has been taken from your pay, for example tax and National Insurance (NI)
The payslip can be:
- given as a paper document
- sent as an email attachment
- in an online system
Employers must:
- pay at least the legal minimum wage
- give workers itemised payslips
- pay wages on time
- avoid unlawful deductions
You also have the right to equal pay if you are doing the same work as someone of a different sex.
You can use the Government’s minimum wage checker to check you’re being paid enough.
You can also use this salary calculator tool from Total Jobs to see average pay for different sectors and roles.
You can also:
- Check your payslip and hours
- Raise the issue with your employer
- Contact ACAS for advice
- Report underpayment to HMRC
- Make an employment tribunal claim