Minimum Wage 2022

As you may be aware the National Minimum & Living Wage changes each April.

The rates for the 2022/23 tax year (effective 6th April) are as follows;

Age 23 and over	£9.50 (previously £8.91)
Age 21-22	£9.18 (previously £8.36)
Age 18-20	£6.83 (previously £6.56)
Under 18	£4.81 (previously £4.62)
Apprentice	£4.81 (previously £4.30)

It is a legal requirement that all employees are paid in accordance with these minimum rates and so you should check your records to ensure that they comply.

Workers must be at least school leaving age to get the National Minimum Wage. They must be 23 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
zero hour
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 worker

There is also an optional hourly rate known as the Real Living Wage, which changes each autumn and is set by an independent organisation. The current rate is £9.90ph payable to anyone over the age of 18 (£11.05 in London). The real living wage is an entirely voluntary hourly rate paid by many businesses (including ours), and is calculated according to the actual cost of living each year. It’s certainly something worth considering if you currently have minimum wage employees.

If you have any questions or concerns about your payroll or your employees status then please do get in touch with us.