Minimum wage 2027: every rate from 1 April
A 50p rise for anyone 21 or over, and every other rate up too. Here's what it adds up to over a year, and what actually reaches the bank in Scotland.
By Graeme · Published 29 October 2026 · 5 min read
Last updated · Figures checked
Quick answer · Minimum wage from 1 April 2027, 21 and over
£13.21an hour
Up from £12.71. At 37.5 hours a week that's £25,759.50 a year before tax, about £1,842 a month take home in Scotland on this year's tax rules.
- Age 21 and over
- £13.21
- Age 18 to 20
- £11.27
- Under 18
- £8.31
- Apprentice
- £8.31
Rates from 1 April 2027Source GOV.UK
On this page
From 1 April 2027 the legal minimum for anyone aged 21 or over goes up to £13.21 an hour. That's 50p more than now. Every other rate goes up as well, and I've set them all out below with what they mean for a pay packet in Scotland.
Every minimum wage rate from 1 April 2027
The rate you get depends on your age, and whether you're an apprentice. Here's what each one is now and what it will be from April.
From 1 April 2027
The new hourly rates
| Who | Now | From April 2027 | Rise |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over | £12.71 | £13.21 | 50p (3.9%) |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £11.27 | 42p (3.9%) |
| Under 18 | £8.00 | £8.31 | 31p (3.9%) |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £8.31 | 31p (3.9%) |
The apprentice rate is for apprentices under 19, and for those aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship. Once you're 19 or over and past that first year, you're due the rate for your age.
What £13.21 an hour adds up to
The law sets an hourly rate, not a salary. To turn it into something you can plan with, I use 37.5 paid hours a week for all 52 weeks of the year.
£25,759.50
a year before tax at £13.21 an hour, 37.5 hours a week
That's £495.38 a week or £2,146.63 a month, and £975 more than the same hours at £12.71.
Take home pay in Scotland at £13.21
I've run both rates through the same tax engine as the site's take home pay calculator. One thing to know: the Scottish Government hasn't set its income tax bands for 2027/28 yet. So this uses this year's rules. If the bands move, the answer moves a little with them.
Full time, 37.5 hours a week
What reaches the bank
| Now (£12.71) | April 2027 (£13.21) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pay before tax, a year | £24,784.50 | £25,759.50 |
| Scottish income tax | £2,403.23 | £2,598.23 |
| National Insurance | £977.16 | £1,055.16 |
| Take home, a year | £21,404.11 | £22,106.11 |
| Take home, a month | £1,783.68 | £1,842.18 |
So of the £975 rise, about £702 reaches the bank. You keep roughly 72p of every extra pound at this level of pay, and the rest goes in tax and .
Scotland's lower starter rate helps a bit here. On the same pay, someone in England would pay about £40 a year more in income tax. To put in your own hours, pension or , use the take home pay calculator.
Does Scotland set its own minimum wage?
No. The UK Government sets one minimum wage for the whole of the UK, on advice from the Low Pay Commission. So £13.21 will be the rate in Glasgow, Lerwick and London alike. What Scotland does control is income tax, which is why the take home figures above are worked out on Scottish bands.
Because the rate is the same everywhere, the real difference from place to place is what the money buys. I've done that sum, rent and council tax included, for four cities:
For this year's rates and the full working on take home pay, see my minimum wage Scotland guide.
Minimum wage 2027 against the real Living Wage
The is a different thing. It's a voluntary rate, worked out from what a basic life actually costs, and employers sign up to pay it. The latest rate, £14.10 an hour, was announced in October 2026.
Once the legal minimum reaches £13.21, the gap between the two is £0.89 an hour. Over a full time year that's £1,735.50 before tax. More on how the two compare in my real Living Wage Scotland guide.
If your pay doesn't go up
The new rates start on 1 April 2027. If you're paid monthly, it can take a payslip to show, depending on when your pay period starts. If it still hasn't appeared after that, ask your employer first. It's often a payroll slip rather than anything deliberate.
Still not sorted?
Acas gives free, confidential advice on 0300 123 1100, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. You can also complain to HMRC, which enforces the minimum wage and can make an employer pay back what you're owed.
Work out your own pay for April
Put in your hours, pension and and see what the new rate means for your payslip, on the same Scottish tax rules as this page.
Open the calculator
