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 2023 as follows:
| Age | Rates from April 2022 | Rates from 1 April 2023 |
| 23 years and over (National Living Wage) | £9.50 | £10.42 |
| 21 years to 22 years | £9.18 | £10.18 |
| 18 years to 20 years | £6.83 | £7.49 |
| Under 18 years | £4.81 | £5.28 |
| Apprentices aged under 19, or aged 19 or over and in the first year of their apprenticeship | £4.81 | £5.28 |
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.
| Statutory payment | Weekly rates from April 2022 | Weekly rates from April 2023 |
| Statutory sick pay* | £99.35 per week | £109.40 per week |
| Statutory Maternity Pay | £156.66 per week | £172.48 per week |
| Statutory Paternity Pay | £156.66 per week | £172.48 per week |
| Statutory Shared Parental Pay | £156.66 per week | £172.48 per week |
| Statutory Parental Bereavement Pay | £156.66 per week | £172.48 per week |
| Statutory Adoption Pay | £156.66 per week | £172.48 per week |
* 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.
