National Minimum Wage Increase April 2023

What is the new National Minimum Wage (NMW)
and National Living Wage (NLW)?

The NMW applies to those between school leaving age and 22 years, and the NLW applies to those aged 23 or above. The new statutory rates for 2023 will come into effect from 1 April 2023, and are as follows:

	Rate from April 2023	Increase from 2022 (£)	Increase from 2022 (per cent)
Ages 23 and over (NLW)	£10.42	0.92	9.7
Ages 21-22	£10.18	1.00	10.9
Ages 18-20	£7.49	0.66	9.7
Ages 16-17	£5.28	0.47	9.7
Apprentices*	£5.28	0.47	9.7

*There are different rates of pay for apprentices depending on the individual’s age and what year of their apprenticeship they’re in. The rate mentioned in the above table applies to apprentices that are either aged under 19, or aged 19 or over and in their first year of their apprenticeship.

Statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay increases

Statutory maternity, paternity, adoption and shared parental pay rates will rise from £156.66 to £172.48 a week on 2 April 2023.

• Statutory maternity pay (SMP) for eligible employees can be paid for up to 39 weeks, where tax and national insurance still need to be deducted. There are different rules for casual (or short contract) employees and agency workers.
• Employees may be eligible for statutory paternity pay if they and their partner are having a baby, adopting a child or having a baby through surrogacy.
• When an employee takes time off to adopt a child or have a child through surrogacy, they may be eligible for statutory adoption pay.
• Employees may be able to get statutory shared parental pay (ShPP) if they’ve had a baby or adopted a child.

You can use the UK government’s maternity, paternity and adoption calculator to work out an employee’s SMP, paternity pay or adoption pay.