| Act of Parliament | |
.svg) | |
| Long title | An Act to make provision for and in connection with a national minimum wage; to provide for the amendment of certain enactments relating to the remuneration of persons employed in agriculture; and for connected purposes. |
|---|---|
| Citation | 1998 c. 39 |
| Introduced by | Margaret Beckett,President of the Board of Trade[1] |
| Territorial extent | England and Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 31 July 1998 |
Status: Current legislation | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
TheNational Minimum Wage Act 1998 (c. 39) creates aminimum wage across theUnited Kingdom.[2] From 1 April 2025, the minimum wage is £12.21 per hour for people aged 21 and over, £10.00 for people aged 18-20, and £7.55 for people aged under 18 and apprentices aged under 19 or in the first year of their apprenticeship.[3] (SeeCurrent and past rates.)
It was a flagship policy of theLabour Party in the UK during their successful1997 general election campaign.[2] The national minimum wage (NMW) took effect on 1 April 1999. On 1 April 2016, an amendment to the act attempted an obligatory "National Living Wage" for workers over 25 (now extended to workers aged 21 and over), which was implemented at a significantly higher minimum wage rate of £7.20. This was expected to rise to at least £9 per hour by 2020,[4] but in reality by that year it had only reached £8.72 per hour.[5]
No nationalminimum wage existed prior to 1998, although there were a variety of systems of wage controls focused on specific industries under theTrade Boards Act 1909. TheWages Councils Act 1945 and subsequent acts applied sectoral minimum wages. These were gradually dismantled until theTrade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993 abolished the 26 final wages councils, which had protected around 2,500,000 low-paid workers.
Much of the Labour Party had long opposed a government minimum wage because they feared that would reduce the need for joiningtrade unions, which they supported.[6]
Part of the reason for the shift in Labour's minimum wage policy was the decline of trade union membership over recent decades (weakening employees' bargaining power),[2] as well as a recognition that the employees most vulnerable to low pay, especially inservice industries, were rarely unionised in the first place. Labour had returned to government in1997 after 18 years in opposition, and a minimum wage had been a party policy since as far back as 1986, under the leadership ofNeil Kinnock.[7]
The implementation of a minimum wage was opposed by theConservative Party[2] and supported by theLiberal Democrats.[8]
The NMW rates are reviewed each year by theLow Pay Commission, which makes recommendations for change to the Government.[9]
The following rates apply as of April 2025:[10]
In his 2015 budget,George Osborne announced that from 1 April 2016, a further rate known as the "National Living Wage" ("NLW") would apply to those aged 25 or over at the rate of £7.20 per hour. This was successfully introduced into legislation.[11] The minimum age threshold was decreased to 23 in April 2021.
In November 2023,Jeremy Hunt announced that all workers over 21 would receive the National Living Wage from April 2024 onwards.[12]
The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 applies to workers (section 1(2)), that is, employees, and anyone who has a contract to do work personally, other than for a customer or a client (section 54(3)). Those working throughagencies are included (section 34), so that the agencies' charges must not reduce a worker's basic entitlement. Home-workers are also included, and theSecretary of State can make order for other inclusions.
The Secretary of State can also make exclusions, as has been done forau pairs and family members in a family business. Sections 43 through 45 delineate excluded groups of workers, such as unpaid volunteers, prisoners, and share fishermen paid by a share of profits. Inserted by theImmigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006, section 45B excludes persons detained inremoval centres, which are long-term detention facilities for immigrants and asylum seekers.
The hours that are used in a national minimum wage calculation are dependent upon work type as defined within the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999.[14] The different work types are time work, salaried hours work, output work and unmeasured work. Hours to be paid for are those worked in the "pay reference period", but where pay is not contractually referable to hours, such as pay by output, then the time actually worked must be ascertained. The principle is that the rate of pay for hours worked should not fall below the minimum. Periods when the worker is onindustrial action, travelling to and from work and absent are excluded. A worker who is required to be awake and available for work must receive the minimum rate. This does not prevent the use of "zero hour contracts", where the worker is guaranteed no hours and is under no obligation to work.
Section 10 permits a worker to issue a "production notice" to their employer requesting access to the employer's records if they believe that their pay may be, or have been, below the national minimum wage.[15]
The NMW is enforceable byHMRC (section 14), or by the worker making a contractual claim or through a "wrongful deduction" claim under Part II of theEmployment Rights Act 1996. Section 18 provides for compensation. Employers must not subject their workers to dismissal or any other detriment (section 25 and section 23).
In October 2013, new rules to publicise the names of employers paying under the minimum wage were established; the names of most employers issued with aNotice of Underpayment are published.[16] In 2014, the names of 30 employers were released by theDepartment for Business, Innovation and Skills.[17][18] In 2017, the names of 852 employers were released by theDepartment for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.[19][20][21]
Failure to pay underpayments after issue of a notice of underpayment results in payment of a financial penalty to the Secretary of State.[22] In 2016, arrangements were made to ensure that underpayments result in double-level financial penalty.[23] TheLow Pay Commission has highlighted that apprentices are particularly exposed to being underpaid.[24]
| National Minimum Wage (Enforcement Notices) Act 2003 | |
|---|---|
| Act of Parliament | |
| |
| Long title | An Act to make provision enabling an enforcement notice under section 19 of the National Minimum Wage Act 1998 to impose a requirement under subsection (2) of that section in relation to a person, whether or not a requirement under subsection (1) of that section is, or may be, imposed in relation to that or any other person; and to limit the pay reference periods in respect of which a requirement under subsection (2) of that section may be imposed. |
| Citation | 2003 c. 8 |
| Territorial extent | United Kingdom |
| Dates | |
| Royal assent | 8 May 2003 |
| Commencement | 8 July 2003[25] |
| Repealed | 6 April 2009 |
| Other legislation | |
| Repealed by | Employment Act 2008 |
Status: Repealed | |
| Text of statute as originally enacted | |
| Revised text of statute as amended | |
TheNational Minimum Wage (Enforcement Notices) Act 2003 (c. 8) amended the 1998 act to allow employees to claim back payments from a previous employer of an employee in cases where the previous employer failed to pay them the minimum wage.[26][27]
TheOffice for National Statistics produces information about the lower end of the earnings distribution and estimates for the number of jobs paid below the national minimum wage.[28] The figures are based on data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.
The policy was opposed by theConservative Party at the time of implementation, who argued that it would create extra costs for businesses and would cause unemployment. In 1996, The Conservative Party's future leader,David Cameron, standing as a prospective Member of Parliament for Stafford, had said that the minimum wage "would send unemployment straight back up".[29] However, in 2005 Cameron stated that: "I think the minimum wage has been a success, yes. It turned out much better than many people expected, including theCBI."[30] It is now Conservative Party policy to support the minimum wage.[31]
WhileMayor of London,Boris Johnson, future Conservative Prime Minister, supported theLondon living wage, ensuring that allCity Hall employees and subcontracted workers earn at least £7.60 an hour and promoting the wage to employers across the city. In May 2009, hisGreater London Authority Economics unit raised the London Living Wage for City Hall employees to its current rate of £7.60, £1.80 more than the legal minimum rate of £5.80.[32]
To put the pay in an annual perspective, an adult over the age of 21 working at the minimum wage for 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week, will make £1,859/month and £22,308/yeargross income. Afterpay-as-you-earn tax (PAYE), this becomes £1,631/month or £19,581/year (2024–25).[33][34] Full-time workers are also entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks paid holiday per year from 1 April 2009, with pro-rata equivalent for part-time workers. This includespublic holidays.[35]
At the September 2021Labour Party Conference, Labour Party members voted in favour of a £15 an hour minimum wage.[36] The motion calling for a £15 an hour minimum wage was put forward bythe Unite union.[36] Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and his leadership team did not indicate a preference either in favour or against the motion.[36] Though it is thought that Starmer is unlikely to adopt the policy.[37] Organisations who support a £15 an hour minimum wage include: theGreen Party of England and Wales,[38] theBakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union (BFAWU),[39] theTrades Union Congress,[40] and theGMB trade union, who call for "the National Minimum Wage to be replaced with a Real Living Wage rate" at £15 for all ages.[41]
| From | Age 21+ | Age 18–20 | Age 16–17 and apprentices | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2025[3] | £12.21 | £10.00 | £7.55 | ||
| 1 April 2024[43] | £11.44 | £8.60 | £6.40 | ||
| From | Age 23+ | Age 21–22 | Age 18–20 | Age 16–17 and apprentices | |
| 1 April 2023[44] | £10.42 | £10.18 | £7.49 | £5.28 | |
| 1 April 2022[45] | £9.50 | £9.18 | £6.83 | £4.81 | |
| From | Age 23+ | Age 21–22 | Age 18–20 | Age 16–17 | Apprentices |
| 1 April 2021[46] | £8.91 | £8.36 | £6.56 | £4.62 | £4.30 |
| From | Age 25+ | Age 21–24 | Age 18–20 | Age 16–17 | Apprentices |
| 1 April 2020[47] | £8.72 | £8.20 | £6.45 | £4.55 | £4.15 |
| 1 April 2019[48] | £8.21 | £7.70 | £6.15 | £4.35 | £3.90 |
| 1 April 2018[49] | £7.83 | £7.38 | £5.90 | £4.20 | £3.70 |
| 1 April 2017[50] | £7.50 | £7.05 | £5.60 | £4.05 | £3.50 |
| 1 October 2016 | £7.20 | £6.95 | £5.55 | £4.00 | £3.40 |
| 1 April 2016[51] | £6.70 | £5.30 | £3.87 | £3.30 | |
| From | Age 21+ | Age 18–20 | Age 16–17 | Apprentices | |
| 1 October 2014 | £6.50 | £5.13 | £3.79 | £2.73 | |
| 1 October 2013 | £6.31 | £5.03 | £3.72 | £2.68 | |
| 1 October 2012 | £6.19 | £4.98 | £3.68 | £2.65 | |
| 1 October 2011 | £6.08 | £2.60 | |||
| 1 October 2010 | £5.93 | £4.92 | £3.64 | £2.50 | |
| From | Age 22+ | Age 18–21 | Age 16–17 | ||
| 1 October 2009 | £5.80 | £4.83 | £3.57 | ||
| 1 October 2008 | £5.73 | £4.70 | £3.53 | ||
| 1 October 2007 | £5.52 | £4.60 | |||
| 1 October 2006 | £5.35 | £4.45 | £3.40 | ||
| 1 October 2005 | £5.05 | £4.25 | £3.00 | ||
| 1 October 2004 | £4.85 | £4.10 | |||
| 1 October 2003 | £4.50 | £3.80 | |||
| 1 October 2002 | £4.20 | £3.50 | N/a | ||
| 1 October 2001 | £4.10 | ||||
| 1 October 2000 | £3.70 | £3.20 | |||
| 1 April 1999 | £3.60 | £3.00 | |||
Labour members on Tuesday backed a £15-an-hour minimum wage at their annual party conference in Brighton. Although the vote was not binding and the policy is unlikely to be adopted by Keir Starmer [...]
GMB has consistently called for the National Minimum Wage to be replaced with a Real Living Wage rate. GMB believes that a Real Living Wage should now be at least £15 an hour, and should apply to workers of all ages as we have continually called for.
