Minimum wage for 15 year old UK: gross pay and take-home explained

Minimum wage for 15 year old UK: what you need to know

Understanding the minimum wage for 15 year old UK workers is essential for young people entering the job market and their parents. The rate is set by the government and updated each April. From April 2026, the hourly rate for under 18s (including 15-year-olds who are above compulsory school leaving age) is £8.00 per hour, according to GOV.UK National Minimum Wage rates. This is a 6.0% increase from the 2025 rate of £7.55 (as reported in the ONS ASHE 2025 bulletin).

How much is the minimum wage for 15 year olds?

The minimum wage for 15 year old UK workers is the same as for all workers aged under 18: £8.00 per hour from April 2026. This rate applies to those above compulsory school leaving age (usually 16) but under 18. However, 15-year-olds can legally work only under certain conditions – for example, during term time they can work a maximum of 12 hours per week, and during school holidays up to 35 hours per week. Employers must pay at least this rate, but many pay more.

For comparison, the National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over rises to £12.71 per hour in April 2026 (a 4.1% increase), as confirmed by GOV.UK National Living Wage increases. The gap between the youth rate and the adult rate reflects the fact that younger workers often have less experience and may work fewer hours.

Gross pay vs take-home pay for young workers

For most 15-year-olds working part-time, take-home pay is essentially the same as gross pay because their earnings are below the thresholds for Income Tax and National Insurance. Let's look at a typical example:

• A 15-year-old works 10 hours per week at £8.00 per hour.
• Gross weekly pay: £80.00.
• Gross annual pay (assuming 52 weeks): £4,160.

The Personal Allowance for 2026/27 is £12,570 per year (as per HMRC rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027). Since £4,160 is well below this, no Income Tax is deducted. The primary National Insurance threshold is also £242 per week (£12,570 per year), so no NI is due either. Therefore, the worker takes home the full £80.00 per week.

If a 15-year-old works more hours – say 30 hours per week during school holidays – their annual earnings would be about £12,480 (30 hours × £8.00 × 52 weeks). This is still just below the Personal Allowance, so no tax. But if they work 35 hours per week for the full year (which is only possible during holidays due to legal restrictions), earnings would be £14,560, exceeding the Personal Allowance. In that case, they would pay 20% Income Tax on the amount above £12,570 (£1,990), which is £398 per year, plus Class 1 NI at 8% on earnings above £12,570 (up to the upper earnings limit). Their take-home pay would then be lower than gross pay.

Common deductions for young employees

While most 15-year-olds avoid Income Tax and NI, there are other potential deductions to be aware of:

• Pension contributions: Auto-enrolment applies to workers aged 22 and over earning above £10,000 per year. Since 15-year-olds are under 22, they are not automatically enrolled, but they can opt into a workplace pension if they wish.
• Student loan repayments: These only apply if the employee has a student loan and earns above the repayment threshold (e.g., Plan 1: £26,900, Plan 2: £29,385, Plan 5: £25,000 per year). Very few 15-year-olds earn enough to trigger this.
• Scottish Income Tax: If a 15-year-old lives and works in Scotland, different tax bands apply. For 2026/27, the starter rate is 19% on earnings up to £3,967 above the Personal Allowance, then 20% up to £16,956, etc. However, because their earnings are likely below the Personal Allowance, they still pay no tax.

For a detailed breakdown of your own situation, use our take-home calculator or read more salary articles on our site.

How the minimum wage affects older workers

While this article focuses on the minimum wage for 15 year old UK workers, it's helpful to see how the rates compare for older age groups. The National Living Wage for those aged 21 and over is £12.71 per hour from April 2026. For 18–20 year olds, the rate is £10.85 per hour. These higher rates mean that older workers are more likely to exceed tax and NI thresholds, especially if they work full-time. For example, a 21-year-old working 37.5 hours per week at the NLW earns about £24,785 per year, which is above the Personal Allowance, so they pay Income Tax and NI. Their take-home pay would be around £1,780 per month (based on standard deductions).

In contrast, a 15-year-old working the same hours (if legally allowed) would earn only £15,600 per year at £8.00 per hour, still below the Personal Allowance if they work fewer weeks. The lower wage rate for young workers is designed to encourage employment and reflect their limited experience, but it also means they keep more of their earnings due to lower deductions.

Summary

The minimum wage for 15 year old UK workers is £8.00 per hour from April 2026. For most part-time young workers, take-home pay equals gross pay because earnings are below tax and NI thresholds. However, if a 15-year-old works many hours (e.g., during school holidays), they may start paying tax and NI. Always check your payslip and use official resources like for the latest rates. For more information on UK salaries and deductions, visit our salary data page or explore topics related to young workers and minimum wage.

FAQs

What is the minimum wage for a 15 year old in the UK?

From April 2026, the minimum wage for workers under 18 (including 15-year-olds who are above compulsory school leaving age) is £8.00 per hour. This rate is set by the government and applies to all eligible young workers. For the 2025/26 tax year, the rate was £7.55 per hour (based on ONS ASHE data).

Do 15-year-olds pay tax on their wages?

Most 15-year-olds working part-time will earn below the Personal Allowance of £12,570 per year, so they pay no Income Tax. Similarly, if their weekly earnings are below the primary National Insurance threshold of £242 per week, they pay no NI. However, if a young worker earns more than these thresholds (e.g., by working many hours), they will pay tax and NI at the standard rates.

Can a 15-year-old work full-time and earn the minimum wage?

UK law restricts the hours 15-year-olds can work. During term time, they can work a maximum of 12 hours per week (2 hours on school days and 7 hours on Saturdays). In school holidays, they can work up to 35 hours per week. So full-time work (35+ hours) is only possible during holidays. Even then, if they earn above £12,570 per year, they would start paying Income Tax and NI.