National Minimum Wage: Archived Rates

An employer must pay their workers a minimum amount as defined by law. This is called the National Minimum wage.

For workers aged 22 years and older

• £5.52 per hour from 1/10/07 to 30/09/08
• £5.35 per hour from 1/10/06 to 30/09/07
• £5.05 per hour from 1/10/05 to 30/09/06
• £4.85 per hour from 1/10/04 to 30/09/05
• £4.50 per hour from 1/10/03 to 30/09/04
• £4.20 per hour from 1/10/02 to 30/09/03
• £4.10 per hour from 1/10/01 to 30/09/02
• £3.70 per hour from 1/10/00 to 30/09/01
• £3.60 per hour from 1/04/99 to 30/09/00

A development rate for

• workers aged 18 - 21 years inclusive
• workers aged 22 years and above, starting a new job with a new employer and doing accredited training

Accredited Training

A course approved by the UK Government to obtain a vocational qualification.

Development Rate

The development rate for workers age 22 and over was abolished for pay reference periods starting on or after 1 October 2006. From that date, all workers aged 22 and over who qualify for the national minimum wage will be entitled to the main rate of national minimum wage. This applies even where the worker was previously in receipt of the development rate for those aged 22 and over and had been receiving that rate for less than six months.

• £4.60 per hour from 1/10/07 to 30/09/08
• £4.45 per hour from 1/10/06 to 30/09/07
• £4.25 per hour from 1/10/05 to 30/09/06
• £4.10 per hour from 1/10/04 to 30/09/05
• £3.80 per hour from 1/10/03 to 30/09/04
• £3.60 per hour from 1/10/02 to 30/09/03
• £3.50 per hour from 1/10/01 to 30/09/02
• £3.20 per hour from 1/06/00 to 30/09/01
• £3.00 per hour from 1/04/99 to 31/05/00

From 1 October 2004 a minimum wage was introduced for 16 year olds who are no longer of compulsory school age and 17 year olds. The hourly rate of minimum wage was:

• £3.40 per hour from 1/10/07 to 30/09/08
• £3.30 per hour from 1/10/06 to 30/09/07
• £3.00 per hour from 1/10/04 to 30/09/06