Employing workers aged 18 or over
Understand the law concerning breaks, conditions and pay for workers aged over 18 years old.
You may still have special responsibilities to young people, even when they are over the age of 18 years old.
National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage
At 18 years old, most workers should be paid at least the minimum wage, which from 1 April 2025 until 31 April 2026, is:
- 拢7.55 per hour for apprentices aged under 19 years old or those aged over 19 in the first year of a contract of apprenticeship
- 拢7.55 per hour for people under 18 years old and above school leaving age
- 拢10.00 per hour for people aged 18 to 20 years old
- 拢12.21 per hour for people aged 21 years old and over (National Living Wage)
Apprentices aged 19 years old or over that have completed at least one year of their apprenticeship are entitled to receive the full minimum wage rate applicable to their age.
See National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates.
Working Hours
In general, workers aged 18 and over are entitled to:
- work no more than six out of every seven days, or 12 out of every 14 days
- take a 20-minute break if they work more than six hours at a stretch
- work a maximum 48-hour average week
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