Career & Jobs · updated 29 October 2026 with the official rates
Minimum Wage April 2027: £13.21 and All UK Rates for 2027/28, Explained for Nepali Students
What will the minimum wage be in April 2027? £13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, up from £12.71. Here are all the 2027/28 rates, including 18 to 20 and Scotland, what a Nepali student earns on the 20-hour limit, in rupees, and what the rise does not change.
What Will the Minimum Wage Be in April 2027?
The UK minimum wage from 1 April 2027 (2027/28) is £13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, £11.27 for 18 to 20, and £8.31 for 16 to 17 and apprentices, all up 3.9%. The same rates apply in Scotland. A Nepali student working 20 hours earns £264.20 a week before deductions.
£13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over (the National Living Wage), £11.27 for 18 to 20 year olds, and £8.31 for 16 to 17 year olds and apprentices, from 1 April 2027. Every rate rises 3.9%, and the same rates apply across the UK, including Scotland. The government announced them on 28 October 2026, accepting the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations in full. For international students, the visa work limit does not change: 20 hours a week in term time on a degree.
Key facts
Checked against the sources cited on 29 October 2026.
- National Living Wage (21+)
- £13.21 an hour from 1 April 2027, up 50p (3.9%) from £12.71GOV.UK / Low Pay Commission, 28 Oct 2026
- 18 to 20 rate
- £11.27 an hour, up 42p (3.9%) from £10.85GOV.UK / Low Pay Commission, 28 Oct 2026
- 16–17 and apprentice rates
- £8.31 an hour each, up 31p; accommodation offset £11.53 a dayGOV.UK / Low Pay Commission, 28 Oct 2026
- Scotland
- Same rates as the rest of the UK; set by the UK GovernmentUK Government, Delivering for Scotland
- Who benefits
- About 2.3 million workers; worth about £910 a year to a full-time workerEmployee Benefits, 28 Oct 2026
- 20 hours at £13.21
- £264.20 a week before deductions (about NPR 51,519)HOA calculation
- Student visa work limit
- 20 hours a week in term time at degree level; 10 below degree levelUniversity of Leeds
- Tax-free allowance (2026/27)
- £12,570 a year; employee NI 8% above £242 a weekZellis Tax Facts 2026/27
Minimum Wage 2027/28: All UK Rates From 1 April 2027
Every minimum wage rate rises by 3.9% on 1 April 2027, the start of the 2027/28 pay year. The government accepted the Low Pay Commission’s recommendations in full.
| Age or type | 2026/27 (from 1 April 2026) | 2027/28 (from 1 April 2027) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 | £13.21 | +50p (3.9%) |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £11.27 | +42p (3.9%) |
| 16 to 17 | £8.00 | £8.31 | +31p (3.9%) |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £8.31 | +31p (3.9%) |
| Accommodation offset (per day) | £11.10 | £11.53 | +43p (3.9%) |
The Commission’s full annual report is due in the new year. The rates above are final: they come from the government’s announcement, not from forecasts. Some sites still show older estimates such as £13.18; ignore them.
£13.20 or £13.21?
£13.21. Some early reports printed £13.20, but the Low Pay Commission’s announcement on GOV.UK confirms £13.21, a 50p rise. That also matches the government’s estimate that the rise is worth about £910 a year to a full-time worker (50p × 35 hours × 52 weeks).
Minimum Wage 2027 for 18 to 20 Year Olds: £11.27
From 1 April 2027 the minimum wage for workers aged 18 to 20 is £11.27 an hour, up 42p (3.9%) from £10.85. It is the same percentage rise as the National Living Wage, so the gap between the two rates stays about the same.
The government wants the National Living Wage eventually to apply from age 18, but the Low Pay Commission recommended “pausing on alignment” this year because demand for young workers has slowed. It said there is “still potential to lower the age limit, especially for 20 year olds” in future.
| Hours worked | In pounds | In rupees |
|---|---|---|
| 10 hours a week | £112.70 | NPR 21,976 |
| 20 hours a week (term-time limit) | £225.40 | NPR 43,953 |
| 37.5 hours a week (official vacations) | £422.62 | NPR 82,412 |
| 20 hours every week, monthly average | £976.73 | NPR 1.90 lakhs |
You move to the £13.21 rate from the first pay period after your 21st birthday.
Minimum Wage in Scotland in 2027
The minimum wage in Scotland from April 2027 is the same as in the rest of the UK: £13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, £11.27 for 18 to 20 year olds and £8.31 for 16 to 17 year olds and apprentices. Minimum wage law is set by the UK Government for the whole UK, including Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Two things are different in Scotland:
- Income tax: Scotland sets its own income tax bands. The £12,570 personal allowance and National Insurance are the same, so most students working part-time pay little or no income tax wherever they are.
- The real Living Wage: many Scottish employers, including public bodies, pay the voluntary real Living Wage (below), which is higher than the legal minimum.
Studying in Scotland? See studying in Scotland from Nepal.
National Living Wage vs Real Living Wage
| National Living Wage | Real Living Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | £13.21 from 1 April 2027 (21 and over) | £14.10 UK, £15.45 London (2026/27 rates, announced 15 October 2026) |
| Set by | UK Government, on Low Pay Commission advice | Living Wage Foundation, based on living costs |
| Must employers pay it? | Yes, by law | No, voluntary for accredited employers |
| Age | 21 and over (lower rates for under-21s) | 18 and over |
When you apply for part-time jobs, an employer advertising the “Living Wage” may mean either. Check the hourly figure.
How Much Will a Nepali Student Earn at £13.21?
Most Nepali students in the UK are 21 or over and paid at least the National Living Wage. These are gross figures before any tax or National Insurance, converted at NPR 195 = £1.
| Hours worked | In pounds | In rupees |
|---|---|---|
| 10 hours a week | £132.10 | NPR 25,760 |
| 20 hours a week (term-time limit) | £264.20 | NPR 51,519 |
| 37.5 hours a week (official vacations) | £495.38 | NPR 96,598 |
| 20 hours every week, monthly average | £1,144.87 | NPR 2.23 lakhs |
What the rise is worth. At 20 hours a week the change from £12.71 to £13.21 adds £10.00 a week (about NPR 1,950), or about £43 a month if you work every week. For an 18 to 20 year old it adds £8.40 a week.
Real earnings depend on whether your employer gives you the hours, how long your terms are and when you start work. Read the part-time jobs students actually get.
What the Pay Rise Does Not Change: Your Visa Work Limit
A higher wage does not mean more hours. Student visa work rules stay the same:
- 20 hours a week in term time on a degree-level course, or 10 hours below degree level (foundation, pre-sessional English).
- A week is Monday to Sunday. You cannot average hours across weeks or bank unused hours.
- Full time only in your university’s official vacations. On many one-year master’s courses the summer is dissertation time, so it counts as term time.
- No self-employment or freelance work, no work as an entertainer or professional sportsperson, and no permanent full-time job.
Working over the limit can lead to your visa being cancelled and can affect future UK applications. Your conditions are shown in your UKVI account (eVisa) and depend on your course level. See part-time work rules for Nepali students.
Will You Pay Tax and National Insurance?
In 2026/27 you can earn £12,570 in a tax year before income tax (the personal allowance), and employee National Insurance of 8% starts above £242 a week.
- 20 hours at £13.21 is £264.20 a week, a little above £242, so expect about £1.78 a week in National Insurance (8% of £22.20) in weeks you work the full 20 hours.
- Income tax is worked out across the year. Your employer may deduct a few pounds in a high week, but if your total earnings for the tax year stay under £12,570 you get it back, usually automatically in later pay or after the tax year ends.
- Check you are on the right tax code (normally 1257L) and give your employer your National Insurance number. An emergency code can mean too much tax.
- Scotland sets its own income tax rates; the National Insurance rules are the same across the UK.
The 2027/28 tax thresholds will be confirmed separately. Guides: getting a National Insurance number and UK income tax and National Insurance for students.
Can Part-Time Work Pay for a UK Degree?
No, and the visa rules assume it will not. You must show your tuition still owed plus living costs before you apply: £1,203 a month outside London or £1,570 in London, for up to nine months, for applications from 30 November 2026. Future earnings do not count.
Even at the maximum, working 20 hours every single week of the year at £13.21 comes to £13,738.40 (about NPR 26.79 lakhs) before deductions. That is less than one year of typical international tuition, and most students work fewer weeks.
Part-time pay helps with rent, food and transport. Plan the degree around funds you already hold. See the visa funds rise from 30 November 2026 and UK living costs in rupees.
After Graduation: Does £13.21 Matter for Work Visas?
- Graduate visa: no weekly hours limit, so you can work full time. At 37.5 hours a week, £13.21 comes to about £25,759.50 a year before deductions.
- Skilled Worker visa: the minimum wage is only the legal floor. A sponsored job usually needs £41,700 a year or the going rate for the job, or £33,400 at the new-entrant rate. See the Skilled Worker visa guide.
For the full route after your degree, read the Graduate visa guide.
How to Check You Are Paid Correctly From April 2027
- Find your age band on the day of each pay period. If you turn 21 during a pay period, the higher rate applies from the next one.
- Check your first payslip after 1 April 2027. The new rate applies from the first pay period that starts on or after that date.
- Divide pay by hours. Unpaid compulsory training, uniform costs you must buy, or unpaid time at the start or end of a shift can push pay below the minimum.
- Keep records of your hours and payslips. They also prove you stayed within your visa limit.
- If you are underpaid, raise it with your employer first. If that fails, you can complain to HMRC, which enforces the minimum wage; your employer cannot lawfully punish you for asking.
Students already in the UK can ask HOA’s London team for help with job searching: see the London office.
Frequently Asked Questions
£13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2027, up 50p (3.9%) from £12.71. The 18–20 rate is £11.27 and the 16–17 and apprentice rate is £8.31.
For the 2027/28 pay year, from 1 April 2027: £13.21 (21 and over), £11.27 (18 to 20), £8.31 (16 to 17), £8.31 (apprentices) and an £11.53 daily accommodation offset.
£11.27 an hour from 1 April 2027, up 42p (3.9%) from £10.85. The Low Pay Commission paused moving this rate closer to the National Living Wage this year.
The same as the rest of the UK: £13.21 an hour for workers aged 21 and over from 1 April 2027. Minimum wage law is set by the UK Government for the whole UK.
£8.31 an hour, up 31p (3.9%). It applies to apprentices under 19, and to older apprentices in their first year.
No. The National Living Wage (£13.21 from April 2027) is the legal minimum. The real Living Wage (£14.10, or £15.45 in London) is a voluntary rate set by the Living Wage Foundation.
£13.21. Some early reports printed £13.20, but the Low Pay Commission’s announcement on GOV.UK confirms £13.21, a 50p rise.
On 1 April 2027, from the first pay period that starts on or after that date.
At £13.21 an hour, £264.20 a week before deductions, about NPR 51,500. At the 18–20 rate of £11.27, £225.40 a week.
No. The Student visa limit stays at 20 hours a week in term time on a degree course, or 10 below degree level, counted Monday to Sunday.
Only on earnings above £12,570 in a tax year. Employee National Insurance of 8% applies to weekly pay above £242, so 20 hours at £13.21 means about £1.78 a week.
No. Even 20 hours every week of the year at £13.21 is about £13,738 before deductions, and visa funds must be shown before you apply.
Only as a legal floor. A Skilled Worker job usually needs £41,700 a year or the going rate, or £33,400 at the new-entrant rate.
Raise it with your employer first and keep your payslips and hours. If it is not fixed, you can complain to HMRC, which enforces the minimum wage.
Key Terms
- National Living Wage
- The minimum hourly pay for workers aged 21 and over: £13.21 from 1 April 2027.
- Real Living Wage
- A voluntary hourly rate set by the Living Wage Foundation: £14.10 in the UK and £15.45 in London for 2026/27.
- National Minimum Wage
- The minimum hourly pay for workers under 21 and apprentices.
- Low Pay Commission
- The independent body that recommends minimum wage rates to the UK government each year.
- Personal allowance
- The income you can earn in a tax year before income tax: £12,570 in 2026/27.
Sources
Every figure on this page was checked against these sources on 29 October 2026. If an official page and this page disagree, the official page is right.
- GOV.UK / Low Pay Commission, LPC recommendations take the National Living Wage to £13.21 (28 Oct 2026)
- Low Pay Commission, LPC summary of evidence 2026 (28 Oct 2026)
- UK Government, Delivering for Scotland: living wage
- Living Wage Foundation, Calculating the real Living Wage for London and the rest of the UK: 2026
- Personnel Today, National living wage to increase by 3.9% (28 Oct 2026)
- Employee Benefits, Budget 2026: National minimum wage and living wage rates to rise by 3.9% (28 Oct 2026)
- GOV.UK, The National Minimum Wage in 2026 (1 Apr 2026)
- University of Leeds, Work and your visa
- Zellis, Tax Facts 2026/27
- PayAdvice, HMRC confirm most of the 2026/2027 values for software
- GOV.UK, Student visa: money you need
- Home Office, Explanatory memorandum to HC 584 (3 Sep 2026)
About This Guide
Written by House of Admissions (HOA), a UK-only education consultancy founded in 2016 with offices in Kathmandu and Pokhara. All 20+ HOA counsellors hold the British Council’s UK counsellor certification. HOA’s guidance is free to students. Reviewed by Rahul Chhetri, Director. This is admissions guidance, not immigration advice. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
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