National minimum wage

The UK has a national minimum wage and it is illegal for an employer to pay less than this. The amount you are paid (the rate) is different depending on whether you are younger or older than 25. The rate changes every April, you can find the current rate on the GOV.UK website:

National Minimum Wage Rates

Tax and National Insurance

You have to pay tax on your income if you live and work in the UK. Your employer will deduct Income Tax from your wages, but if you are self-employed you have to arrange this yourself by completing a Self Assessment tax return.

You may also have to pay National Insurance, unless you can prove you already pay National Insurance in another European Economic Area (EEA) country or are from a country that has an agreement on social security with the UK. Your employer must provide you with a payslip every time you get paid, which tells you how much tax and National Insurance you have paid.

You can find out more about paying income tax and National Insurance on the GOV.UK website:

Tax if You Come to Live in the UK


Last Updated: 23 October 2022

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