By. law, employers must pay a minimum amount for the hours someone works.
For workers aged 23 or over, this is called the National Living Wage (NLW). For workers aged under 23 and for apprentices, this is the National Minimum Wage (NMW).
Minimum wage levels are reviewed annually by the Government. The rates are increasing from April 2022 as follows:
| Age | Rates from 1 April 2022 | Rates from 1 April 2021 |
| 23 years and over (National Living Wage) | £9.50 | £8.91 |
| 21 years to 22 years | £9.18 | £8.36 |
| 18 years to 20 years | £6.83 | £6.56 |
| Under 18 years | £4.81 | £4.62 |
| Apprentices aged under 19, or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship | £4.81 | £4.30 |
Statutory payments
Most workers also entitled to certain statutory payments, such as statutory sick pay and maternity leave. These levels are also reviewed regularly by the government. Currently, minimum statutory payments as follows:
| Statutory payment | Weekly rates from April 2021 |
| Statutory sick pay* | £96.35 |
| Statutory Maternity Pay for the first 6 weeks of maternity leave | 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings |
| Statutory Maternity Pay for remaining period of maternity leave | £151.97 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Paternity Pay | £151.97 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Shared Parental Pay | £151.97 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay | £151.97 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Maternity Allowance | £151.97 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
| Statutory Adoption Pay for the first 6 weeks of maternity leave | 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings |
| Statutory Adoption Pay for remaining period of maternity leave | £151.97 or 90% of the employee’s average weekly earnings, whichever is lower |
* Although the same weekly rate applies to all employees for SSP, the amount payable per day an employee is absent will depend on the number of ‘qualifying days’ they work each week.