View source for National Minimum Wage Act 1998

{{about|an Act of Parliament in the United Kingdom||NMWA (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
|short_title=National Minimum Wage Act 1998
|parliament=Parliament of the United Kingdom
|long_title=An Act to make provision for and in connection with a national minimum wage; to provide for the amendment of certain enactments relating to the remuneration of persons employed in agriculture; and for connected purposes.
|year=1998|statute_book_chapter= 1998 c. 39
|introduced_by=[[Margaret Beckett]], [[President of the Board of Trade]]<ref>Hansard, [https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1997/dec/16/national-minimum-wage-bill National Minimum Wage Bill], 16 December 1997, accessed 5 February 2021</ref>
|territorial_extent=England and Wales; Scotland; Northern Ireland
|royal_assent= 31 July 1998
|commencement=
|repeal_date= 
|amendments=
|related_legislation=
|repealing_legislation=
|status=Current
|original_text=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/39/enacted
|revised_text=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/39
|legislation_history=
}}
The '''National Minimum Wage Act 1998''' (c. 39) creates a [[minimum wage]] across the [[United Kingdom]].<ref name="politicsuk">{{cite web|url=http://www.politics.co.uk/reference/national-minimum-wage|title=National Minimum Wage|website=politics.co.uk}}. E McGaughey, ''A Casebook on Labour Law'' (Hart 2019) ch 6(1)</ref> From 1 April 2025, the minimum wage is £12.21 per hour for people aged 21 and over, £10.00 for people aged 18-20, and £7.55 for people aged under 18 and apprentices aged under 19 or in the first year of their apprenticeship.<ref name="gov_uk_2025" /> (See [[#Current and past rates|Current and past rates]].)

It was a flagship policy of the [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] in the UK during their successful [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election campaign]].<ref name="politicsuk"/> The national minimum wage (NMW) took effect on 1 April 1999. On 1 April 2016, an amendment to the act attempted an obligatory "[[National Living Wage]]" for workers over 25 (now extended to workers aged 21 and over), which was implemented at a significantly higher minimum wage rate of £7.20. This was expected to rise to at least £9 per hour by 2020,<ref>{{cite news|title=Third of British workers may benefit from new legal pay level|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/30/third-of-british-workers-may-benefit-from-new-legal-pay-level|author=Larry Elliott|date=30 March 2016|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref> but in reality by that year it had only reached £8.72 per hour.<ref>{{cite news|title=Government misses minimum wage target set by Tories in 2015|url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/dec/31/government-misses-minimum-wage-target-set-by-tories-in-2015|author=Richard Partington|date=31 December 2019|newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>

==Background==
No national [[minimum wage]] existed prior to 1998, although there were a variety of systems of wage controls focused on specific industries under the [[Trade Boards Act 1909]]. The [[Wages Councils Act 1945]] and subsequent acts applied sectoral minimum wages. These were gradually dismantled until the [[Trade Union Reform and Employment Rights Act 1993]] abolished the 26 final wages councils, which had protected around 2,500,000 low-paid workers.

Much of the Labour Party had long opposed a government minimum wage because they feared that would reduce the need for joining [[trade unions]], which they supported.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The introduction of the National Minimum Wage (1998) |url=https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/sites/default/files/the_mimimum_wage.pdf |access-date=13 February 2025 |website=instituteforgovernment.org.uk}}</ref> Also, they feared that the minimum wage would in practice become the maximum wage since employers would be satisfied with paying only that amount.{{cn|date=August 2022}}

Part of the reason for the shift in Labour's minimum wage policy was the decline of trade union membership over recent decades (weakening employees' bargaining power),<ref name="politicsuk"/> as well as a recognition that the employees most vulnerable to low pay, especially in [[tertiary sector of economic activity|service industries]], were rarely unionised in the first place. Labour had returned to government in [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997]] after 18 years in opposition, and a minimum wage had been a party policy since as far back as 1986, under the leadership of [[Neil Kinnock]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.margaretthatcher.org/document/106498|title=Speech to Conservative Party Conference|author=Margaret Thatcher|date=10 October 1986|work=Margaret Thatcher Foundation|access-date=30 March 2016}}</ref>

The implementation of a minimum wage was opposed by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]]<ref name="politicsuk"/> and supported by the [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]].<ref>{{cite web|title=National Minimum Wage Bill — 16 December 1997|url=http://www.publicwhip.org.uk/division.php?date=1997-12-16&number=120&mpn=Edward_Davey&mpc=Kingston_and_Surbiton&house=commons#summary|publisher=The Public Whip|access-date=3 January 2013}}</ref>

==Overview==
[[File:UK real national minimum wages 1999-2022.png|thumb|upright=1.4|Real national minimum wages 1999–2022, adjusted to April 2023 prices.]]
The NMW rates are reviewed each year by the [[Low Pay Commission]], which makes recommendations for change to the Government.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/low-pay-commission|title=Low Pay Commission – GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk}}</ref>

The following rates apply as of April 2025:<ref name=nat-min-rate>{{cite news|title=National Minimum Wage|access-date=19 July 2023|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates |website=www.gov.uk}}</ref>
* £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 and over
* £10.00 per hour for workers aged 18–20
* £7.55 per hour for apprentices and workers aged under 18

In his 2015 budget, [[George Osborne]] announced that from 1 April 2016, a further rate known as the "[[National Living Wage]]" ("NLW") would apply to those aged 25 or over  at the rate of £7.20 per hour. This was successfully introduced into legislation.<ref>{{cite web|author1=Lisa Patmore|author2=Tom Heys|url=http://www.lewissilkin.com/Journal/2015/July/National-living-wage.aspx|title=Seven things you need to know about George Osborne's 'National Living Wage'|publisher=Lewis Silkin|date=22 July 2015|access-date=30 March 2016}}</ref> The minimum age threshold was decreased to 23 in April 2021.

In November 2023, [[Jeremy Hunt]] announced that all workers over 21 would receive the National Living Wage from April 2024 onwards. <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-67484102|title=Minimum wage to rise to £11.44 per hour|publisher=BBC|date=22 November 2023|access-date=27 November 2023}}</ref>

==Law==
{{Clist wage}}
[[File:UK Minimum wage over time.svg|thumb|upright=1.4|The UK's National Minimum Wage up to 2024.{{unbulleted list
|'''Adult rate''' is for employees aged 21 and over from 2010, and 22 and over prior to then.
|'''Development rate''' is for employees aged 18–20 from 2010, and 18–21 prior to then.
|'''16–17 year-olds' rate''' was introduced in 2004.
|'''Apprentice rate''' was introduced in 2010, and merged with the 16–17 year-olds' rate in 2022.
|'''National Living Wage''' was introduced in April 2016. It applied to employees aged 25 and over until April 2021, then aged 23 and over until April 2024, when it became the Adult rate for all employees aged 21 and over.}}]]
The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 applies to workers (section 1(2)), that is, employees, and anyone who has a contract to do work personally, other than for a customer or a client (section 54(3)). Those working through [[Employment agency|agencies]] are included (section 34), so that the agencies' charges must not reduce a worker's basic entitlement. Home-workers are also included, and the [[Secretary of State (United Kingdom)|Secretary of State]] can make order for other inclusions.

The Secretary of State can also make exclusions, as has been done for [[au pair]]s and family members in a family business. Sections 43 through 45 delineate excluded groups of workers, such as unpaid volunteers, prisoners, and share fishermen paid by a share of profits. Inserted by the [[Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006]], section 45B excludes persons detained in [[Immigration detention in the United Kingdom|removal centres]], which are long-term detention facilities for immigrants and asylum seekers.

The hours that are used in a national minimum wage calculation are dependent upon work type as defined within the National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999.<ref>[http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1999/19990584.htm National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999] www.opsi.gov.uk</ref> The different work types are time work, salaried hours work, output work and unmeasured work. Hours to be paid for are those worked in the "pay reference period", but where pay is not contractually referable to hours, such as pay by output, then the time actually worked must be ascertained. The principle is that the rate of pay for hours worked should not fall below the minimum. Periods when the worker is on [[industrial action]], travelling to and from work and absent are excluded. A worker who is required to be awake and available for work must receive the minimum rate. This does not prevent the use of "[[zero hour contract]]s", where the worker is guaranteed no hours and is under no obligation to work.

===Workers' rights===
Section 10 permits a worker to issue a "production notice" to their employer requesting access to the employer's records if they believe that their pay may be, or have been, below the national minimum wage.<ref>[https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/39/data.pdf National Minimum Wage Act 1998], section 10</ref>

===Enforcement===
The NMW is enforceable by [[HMRC]] (section 14), or by the worker making a contractual claim or through a "wrongful deduction" claim under Part II of the [[Employment Rights Act 1996]]. Section 18 provides for compensation. Employers must not subject their workers to dismissal or any other detriment (section 25 and section 23).

In October 2013, new rules to publicise the names of employers paying under the minimum wage were established; the names of most employers issued with a ''Notice of Underpayment'' are published.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-names-employers-who-fail-to-pay-minimum-wage |title=Government names employers who fail to pay minimum wage |publisher=gov.uk |date=8 June 2014 |access-date=8 June 2014}}</ref> In 2014, the names of 30 employers were released by the [[Department for Business, Innovation and Skills]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-gets-tough-with-employers-failing-to-pay-minimum-wage |title=Government gets tough with employers failing to pay minimum wage |publisher=gov.uk |date=28 February 2014 |access-date=8 April 2018}}</ref><ref name=bbc-20140608>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-27751722 |title=Government 'names and shames' minimum wage underpayers |publisher=BBC |date=8 June 2014 |access-date=8 June 2014}}</ref> In 2017, the names of 852 employers were released by the [[Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-number-of-employers-named-and-shamed-for-underpaying |title=Record number of employers named and shamed for underpaying |publisher=gov.uk |date=15 February 2017 |access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/record-2-million-back-pay-identified-for-13000-of-the-uks-lowest-paid-workers |title=Record £2 million back pay identified for 13,000 of the UK's lowest paid workers |publisher=gov.uk |date=16 August 2017 |access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/17m-back-pay-identified-for-a-record-16000-workers-as-260-employers-are-named-and-shamed-for-underpaying-minimum-wage-rates |title=£1.7m back pay identified for a record 16,000 workers as 260 employers are named and shamed for underpaying minimum wage rates |publisher=gov.uk |date=8 December 2017 |access-date=18 March 2018}}</ref>

Failure to pay underpayments after issue of a notice of underpayment results in payment of a financial penalty to the Secretary of State.<ref>UK Legislation, [https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1998/39/section/19 National Minimum Wage Act 1998, section 19], accessed 22 June 2022</ref> In 2016, arrangements were made to ensure that underpayments result in double-level financial penalty.<ref>[https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2016/68/pdfs/uksiem_20160068_en.pdf The National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Regulations (2016), Explanatory Memorandum], SI 2016/68, made 22 January 2016, accessed 20 June 2022</ref> The [[Low Pay Commission]] has highlighted that apprentices are particularly exposed to being underpaid.<ref>Low Pay Commission, [https://www.gov.uk/government/news/low-pay-commission-urges-action-on-illegal-underpayment-of-apprentices Low Pay Commission urges action on illegal underpayment of apprentices], published 7 May 2020, accessed 13 September 2020</ref>

===Case law===
*''[[Revenue and Customs Commissioners v Annabel's (Berkeley Square) Ltd]]'' [2009] [http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2009/361.html EWCA Civ 361], [2009] ICR 1123
*''Spackman v LMU'' [2007] IRLR 741, entitlement to payment of wages

==Statistics==
[[File:UK national minimum wage percentage changes 1999-2010.svg|thumb|upright=1.4|Comparisons of the changes in the National Minimum Wage to average earnings and inflation. The minimum wage has grown well ahead of both.]]
The [[Office for National Statistics]] produces information about the lower end of the earnings distribution and estimates for the number of jobs paid below the national minimum wage.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5837&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=272|publisher=[[Office for National Statistics]]|title=Low Pay Estimates|access-date=29 December 2007}}</ref> The figures are based on data from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings.

==Perspectives==
The policy was opposed by the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] at the time of implementation, who argued that it would create extra costs for businesses and would cause unemployment. In 1996, The Conservative Party's future leader, [[David Cameron]], standing as a prospective Member of Parliament for Stafford, had said that the minimum wage "would send unemployment straight back up".<ref>The Chronicle (Stafford), 21 February 1996</ref> However, in 2005 Cameron stated that: "I think the minimum wage has been a success, yes. It turned out much better than many people expected, including the [[Confederation of British Industry|CBI]]."<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2005/dec/18/conservatives.interviews | work=The Guardian | location=London | title=I'm not a deeply ideological person. I'm a practical one | first=Andrew | last=Rawnsley | date=18 December 2005 | access-date=19 May 2010}}</ref> It is now Conservative Party policy to support the minimum wage.<ref>{{Cite news|date=2019-11-15|title=Party plans would 'boost minimum pay for millions'|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-50417719|access-date=2022-01-13}}</ref>

While [[Mayor of London]], [[Boris Johnson]], future Conservative Prime Minister, supported the [[Living wage in the United Kingdom|London living wage]], ensuring that all [[City Hall, London (Southwark)|City Hall]] employees and subcontracted workers earn at least £7.60 an hour and promoting the wage to employers across the city. In May 2009, his [[Greater London Authority]] Economics unit raised the London Living Wage for City Hall employees to its current rate of £7.60, £1.80 more than the legal minimum rate of £5.80.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hamiltonbradbury.co.uk/umbrella-company/tax/fairer-london-2009-living-wage-london/|title=A Fairer London: The 2009 Living Wage in London|author=Greg Dickson|date=19 December 2011|work=Hamilton Bradbury|access-date=15 April 2016}}</ref>

To put the pay in an annual perspective, an adult over the age of 21 working at the minimum wage for 7.5 hours a day, 5 days a week, will make £1,859/month and £22,308/year [[gross income]]. After [[pay-as-you-earn tax]] (PAYE), this becomes £1,631/month or £19,581/year (2024–25).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/income-tax-rates |title=UK Government: Income Tax rates & Personal allowances |publisher=gov.uk |access-date=30 June 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-insurance/how-much-you-pay |title=UK Government: National Insurance: Introduction: How much you pay |publisher=gov.uk |access-date=30 June 2024}}</ref> Full-time workers are also entitled to a minimum of 5.6 weeks paid holiday per year from 1 April 2009, with pro-rata equivalent for part-time workers. This includes [[public holiday]]s.<ref>{{cite news|title=Holiday entitlements: introduction : Directgov – Employment|url=http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Employment/Employees/WorkingHoursAndTimeOff/DG_10029788|access-date=8 August 2008}}</ref>

At the September 2021 [[Labour Party Conference]], Labour Party members voted in favour of a £15 an hour minimum wage.<ref name="BBC News, Labour Conference">{{cite news |last1= Parkinson |first1= Justin |last2= Scott |first2= Jennifer |date= 28 September 2021 |title= Labour conference: Members vote for £15 minimum wage amid row |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58713344 |work= BBC News |access-date= 13 December 2023}}</ref> The motion calling for a £15 an hour minimum wage was put forward by [[Unite the Union|the Unite union]].<ref name="BBC News, Labour Conference"/> Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and his leadership team did not indicate a preference either in favour or against the motion.<ref name="BBC News, Labour Conference"/> Though it is thought that Starmer is unlikely to adopt the policy.<ref>{{cite news |last1= Partington |first1= Richard |last2= Butler |first2= Sarah |date= 29 September 2021 |title= £15 UK minimum wage may not be the best way to tackle poverty |url= https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/sep/29/15-uk-minimum-wage-may-not-be-the-best-way-to-tackle-poverty |work= The Guardian |access-date= 13 December 2023 |quote= Labour members on Tuesday backed a £15-an-hour minimum wage at their annual party conference in Brighton. Although the vote was not binding and the policy is unlikely to be adopted by Keir Starmer [...]}}</ref> Organisations who support a £15 an hour minimum wage include: the [[Green Party of England and Wales]],<ref>{{cite news |date= 20 February 2023 |title= Why the Green Party supports a £15 minimum wage |url= https://bright-green.org/2023/02/20/why-the-green-party-supports-a-15-minimum-wage/ |work= Bright Green |access-date= 13 December 2023}}</ref> the [[Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union]] (BFAWU),<ref>{{cite news |last= Woolley |first= Sarah |date= 22 April 2021 |title= In Low-Wage Britain, the People Who Produce Our Food Can't Afford to Eat |url= https://tribunemag.co.uk/2021/04/in-low-wage-britain-the-people-who-produce-our-food-cant-afford-to-eat/ |work= Tribune |access-date= 13 December 2023}}</ref> the [[Trades Union Congress]],<ref>{{cite news |title= Fight for £15 |url= https://www.tuc.org.uk/campaigns/fight-for-15 |work= Trades Union Congress |access-date= 13 December 2023}}</ref> and the [[GMB trade union]], who call for "the National Minimum Wage to be replaced with a Real Living Wage rate" at £15 for all ages.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.gmb.org.uk/assets/media/documents/evidence/GMBSubmissiontotheLPCConsultationontheNMW2022.pdf |title= Low Pay Commission Consultation on the National Minimum Wage 2023 |date= June 2022 |website= gmb.org.uk |publisher= GMB (trade union) |access-date= 13 December 2023 |quote= GMB has consistently called for the National Minimum Wage to be replaced with a Real Living Wage rate. GMB believes that a Real Living Wage should now be at least £15 an hour, and should apply to workers of all ages as we have continually called for.}}</ref>

==Current and past rates==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center"
|+ Source unless otherwise specified: Low Pay Commission<ref>Low Pay Commission. [http://www.lowpay.gov.uk/ Home page]. Retrieved on 1 October 2014.</ref>
! From !! colspan="2" | Age 21+ !! Age 18–20 !! colspan="2" | Age 16–17 and apprentices
|-
|'''1 April 2025<ref name="gov_uk_2025">{{Cite web |title=National Living Wage to increase to £12.21 in April 2025 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-living-wage-to-increase-to-1221-in-april-2025|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20250522063246/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/national-living-wage-to-increase-to-1221-in-april-2025|archivedate=2025-05-22|access-date=2024-11-03 |website=GOV.UK |language=en}}</ref>'''
| colspan="2" |'''£12.21'''
|'''£10.00'''
| colspan="2" |'''£7.55'''
|-
| 1 April 2024<ref name="gov_uk_2024">{{cite web|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20240118103823/https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/minimum-wage-rates-for-2024|archivedate=2024-01-18|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/minimum-wage-rates-for-2024|accessdate=2024-04-02|title=Research and analysis – Minimum wage rates for 2024}}</ref>|| colspan="2" | £11.44 || £8.60 || colspan="2" | £6.40 
|-
! From !! Age 23+ 
!Age 21–22!! Age 18–20 !! colspan="2" | Age 16–17 and apprentices
|-
| 1 April 2023<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/minimum-wage-rates-for-2023|title=National MW and LW rates 2023}}</ref> || £10.42 || £10.18 || £7.49 || colspan="2" | £5.28 
|-
| 1 April 2022<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/minimum-wage-rates-for-2022|title=National MW and LW rates 2022}}</ref> || £9.50 || £9.18 || £6.83 || colspan="2" | £4.81 
|-
! From !! Age 23+ !! Age 21–22 !! Age 18–20 !! Age 16–17 !! Apprentices
|-
| 1 April 2021<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates|title=National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates}}</ref> || £8.91 || £8.36 || £6.56 || £4.62 || £4.30
|-
! From !! Age 25+ !! Age 21–24 !! Age 18–20 !! Age 16–17 !! Apprentices 
|-  
| 1 April 2020<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates|title=National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates}}</ref> || £8.72 || £8.20 || £6.45 || £4.55 || £4.15
|-
| 1 April 2019<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates|title=National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates}}</ref> || £8.21 || £7.70 || £6.15 || £4.35 || £3.90
|-
| 1 April 2018<ref name="rates">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates|title=National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=29 June 2018}}</ref> || £7.83 || £7.38 || £5.90 || £4.20 || £3.70
|-
| 1 April 2017<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates|title=National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates – GOV.UK|website=www.gov.uk|access-date=15 February 2017}}</ref> || £7.50 || £7.05 || £5.60 || £4.05 || £3.50
|-
|1 October 2016 || rowspan="2" | £7.20 || £6.95 || £5.55 || £4.00 || £3.40
|-
| 1 April 2016<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-33437115|title=Osborne unveils National Living Wage|date=8 July 2015|work=BBC News}}</ref> || £6.70 || £5.30 || £3.87 || £3.30
|-
!From
! colspan="2" |Age 21+
!Age 18–20
!Age 16–17
!Apprentices
|-
| 1 October 2014 || colspan="2" | £6.50 || £5.13 || £3.79 || £2.73
|-
| 1 October 2013 || colspan="2" | £6.31 || £5.03 || £3.72 || £2.68
|-
| 1 October 2012 || colspan="2" | £6.19 || rowspan="2" | £4.98 || rowspan="2" | £3.68 || £2.65
|-
| 1 October 2011 || colspan="2" | £6.08 || £2.60
|-
| 1 October 2010 || colspan="2" | £5.93 || £4.92 || £3.64 || £2.50
|-
! From !! colspan="2" | Age 22+ !! Age 18–21 !! colspan="2" | Age 16–17 
|-
| 1 October 2009 || colspan="2" | £5.80 || £4.83 || colspan="2" | £3.57
|-
| 1 October 2008 || colspan="2" | £5.73 || £4.70 || colspan="2" rowspan="2" | £3.53
|-
| 1 October 2007 || colspan="2" | £5.52 || £4.60 
|-
| 1 October 2006 || colspan="2" | £5.35 || £4.45 || colspan="2" | £3.40
|-
| 1 October 2005 || colspan="2" | £5.05 || £4.25 || colspan="2" rowspan="3" | £3.00
|-
| 1 October 2004 || colspan="2" | £4.85 || £4.10 
|-
| 1 October 2003 || colspan="2" | £4.50 || £3.80 
|-
| 1 October 2002 || colspan="2" | £4.20 || rowspan="2" | £3.50 || colspan="2" rowspan="4" {{n/a}} 
|-
| 1 October 2001 || colspan="2" | £4.10 
|-
| 1 October 2000 || colspan="2" | £3.70 || £3.20 
|-
| 1 April 1999 || colspan="2" | £3.60 || £3.00 
|}

==See also==
* [[History of the minimum wage]]
*[[Minimum wage]]
*[[List of countries by minimum wage]]
*[[United Kingdom labour law]]
*''[[Ex parte H.V. McKay]]'' (1907) 2 CAR 1, [[Australian labour law]] case on the living wage
*[[S Webb]] and [[B Webb]], ''[[Industrial Democracy]]'' (1898)
*[[Liberal welfare reforms]]
*[[Trade Boards Act 1909]]
*[[Trade Boards Act 1918]]
*[[Wages Councils Act 1945]]
*[[Tax credit]]s, [[child tax credit]], [[Working Tax Credit]]
*[[Wage regulation]]
*[[Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938]], which introduced the minimum wage in the US
*[[Incomes policy]]

==Notes==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==References==
*E McGaughey, ''A Casebook on Labour Law'' (Hart 2019) ch 6(1)
*B Simpson, 'A Milestone in the Legal Regulation of Pay' (1999) 28 ILJ 1, 17–18
*B Simpson, 'The National Minimum Wage Five Years On' (2004) 33 ILJ 22

==External links==
* [http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/nmw/ Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs: National Minimum Wage]
* [https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/575634/10583-LPC-National_Living_Wage_WEB.pdf National Minimum Wage – Low Pay Commission Report Autumn 2016]
* [http://www.is4profit.com/business-advice/employment/national-minimum-wage.html National Minimum Wage and Small Business]

{{Economy of the United Kingdom}}
{{Europe topic|Minimum wage in}}

[[Category:United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1998]]
[[Category:Minimum wage law]]
[[Category:United Kingdom labour law]]
[[Category:1998 in economic history]]
[[Category:1998 in labor relations]]