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National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage Increases for April 2022

on Thursday, 24 March 2022.

The Government has announced its annual increases to the National Living Wage (NLW) for workers aged 23 and over, and National Minimum Wage (NMW) for workers aged 22 and under. The changes will come into effect on 1 April 2022.

The NLW will increase from £8.91 to £9.50 per hour. The Government has said this represents an annual salary increase of £1,000 per year for a full time worker. Critics however have suggested the rise will not go far enough in light of high rates of inflation and the soaring cost of living. 

The NMW is also due to increase from 1 April 2022 as follows:

  • For employees aged 21 to 22 NMW will increase to £9.18 (up from £8.36).
  • For employees aged 18 to 20 NMW will increase to £6.83 (up from £6.56).
  • For employees aged 16 to 17 NMW will increase to £4.81 (up from £4.62).
  • The apprentice rate will increase to £4.81 (up from £4.30).
  • The accommodation offset amount will increase to £8.70 (up from £8.36).

What About the Voluntary 'Real' Living Wage?

The Government prescribed NLW should not be confused with the voluntary Living Wage, which is set by the Living Wage Foundation and which 9,000 employers elect to pay their staff. The Living Wage is currently £9.90 across the UK and £11.05 in London. That rate was set in 15 November 2021 and the Living Wage Foundation asks that Living Wage employers ensure their staff are being paid at those rates by 15 May 2022 at the latest.


For more information, please contact Zahra Gulamhusein in our Employment Law team on 07887 994368, or complete the form below.

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