Research and analysis

The National Minimum Wage in 2022

The minimum wage rates increased on 1 April. This short report looks at the 2022 increases and the path ahead for the next year.

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New rates of the National Living Wage (NLW) and National Minimum Wage (NMW) come into force on 1 April 2022. These follow recommendations made in the autumn by the Low Pay Commission (LPC). To mark the uprating, this report looks ahead at the implications of the incoming rates and the LPC鈥檚 remit for the year ahead.

The new NLW and NMW rates are set out below.

Previous rate Rate from April 2022 Increase
National Living Wage 拢8.91 拢9.50 6.6%
21-22 Year Old Rate 拢8.36 拢9.18 9.8%
18-20 Year Old Rate 拢6.56 拢6.83 4.1%
16-17 Year Old Rate 拢4.62 拢4.81 4.1%
Apprentice Rate 拢4.30 拢4.81 11.9%
Accommodation Offset 拢8.36 拢8.70 4.1%

These increases mark another step on the path to the Government鈥檚 target of an NLW set at two-thirds of median earnings by 2024. This report sets out the latest pathway to that target, based on projections of average pay growth. We are currently consulting on the NLW and NMW rates to be introduced from April 2023.

Updates to this page

Published 1 April 2022

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