National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage Changes in April 2020
National Minimum Wage 2020
National Minimum Wage 2020 – As many of you will know the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage will be changing soon.
We have had a look through the information and thought it was important to provide this to all of you to read in a way that is both clear and concise.
The Facts
The hourly rate for the minimum wage depends on your age and whether you’re an apprentice.
You must be at least:
- school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage
- aged 25 to get the National Living Wage – the minimum wage will still apply for workers aged 24 and under.
Current rates
These rates are for the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage. The rates change every April.
Year | 25 and over | 21 to 24 | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice |
April 2019 (current rate) | £8.21 | £7.70 | £6.15 | £4.35 | £3.90 |
April 2020 | £8.72 | £8.20 | £6.45 | £4.55 | £4.15 |
Apprentices
Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either:
- aged under 19
- aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship
Previous rates
The following rates were for the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage from April 2016.
Year | 25 and over | 21 to 24 | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice |
April 2018 to March 2019 | £7.83 | £7.38 | £5.90 | £4.20 | £3.70 |
April 2017 to March 2018 | £7.50 | £7.05 | £5.60 | £4.05 | £3.50 |
October 2016 to March 2017 | £7.20 | £6.95 | £5.55 | £4.00 | £3.40 |
April 2016 to September 2016 | £7.20 | £6.70 | £5.30 | £3.87 | £3.30 |
Rates before April 2016
The following rates were for the National Minimum Wage before the National Living Wage was introduced. The rates were usually updated every October.
Year | 21 and over | 18 to 20 | Under 18 | Apprentice |
2015 | £6.70 | £5.30 | £3.87 | £3.30 |
2014 | £6.50 | £5.13 | £3.79 | £2.73 |
2013 | £6.31 | £5.03 | £3.72 | £2.68 |
2012 | £6.19 | £4.98 | £3.68 | £2.65 |
Who gets the minimum wage
Workers must be at least the school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage. They must be 25 or over to get the National Living Wage.
Contracts for payments below the minimum wage are not legally binding. The worker is still entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage.
Workers are also entitled to the correct minimum wage if they’re:
- part-time
- casual labourers, for example, someone hired for one day
- agency workers
- workers and homeworkers paid by the number of items they make
- apprentices
- trainees, workers on probation
- disabled workers
- agricultural workers
- foreign workers
- seafarers
- offshore workers
Apprentices
Apprentices are entitled to the apprentice rate if they’re either:
- under 19
- 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship
Apprentices over 19 who have completed the first year of their apprenticeship are entitled to the correct minimum wage for their age.
Not entitled to the minimum wage
The following types of workers are not entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage:
- self-employed people running their own business
- company directors
- volunteers or voluntary workers
- workers on a government employment programme, such as the Work Programme
- members of the armed forces
- family members of the employer living in the employer’s home
- non-family members living in the employer’s home who share in the work and leisure activities, are treated as one of the family and are not charged for meals or accommodation, for example, au pairs
- workers younger than school leaving age (usually 16)
- higher and further education students on work experience or a work placement up to one year
- people shadowing others at work
- workers on government pre-apprenticeships schemes
- people on the following European Union (EU) programmes: Leonardo da Vinci, Erasmus+, Comenius
- people working on a Jobcentre Plus Work trial for up to 6 weeks
- Share fishermen
- prisoners
- people living and working in a religious community
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