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Working in the UK – minimum wage 2026, contracts, holidays and the Employment Rights Act

Last updated 25 September 2026Rules checked every MondayOfficial sourcesSources & methodology →

The minimum wage rose in April 2026, sick pay now starts from the first day, and more employment rights arrive this autumn. Here is what working in the UK means for you: who may work, what every employer must give you, and how to get your qualifications recognised.

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Working in the UK in 2026 means working under employment law that is changing in phases. The Employment Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 18 December 2025 and is being brought in step by step through 2026 and 2027. The minimum wage rose on 1 April 2026, as it does every year.

What changed for working in the UK in 2026?

DateChange
1 April 2026National Living Wage of £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, up from £12.21
6 April 2026Statutory Sick Pay without waiting days or a lower earnings limit; paternity leave and unpaid parental leave from your first day
7 April 2026The Fair Work Agency, a new enforcement body, set up
1 October 2026Employment tribunal time limit rises from 3 to 6 months (9 November 2026 for breach-of-contract claims in Scotland); right-to-work checks extend to workers, sub-contractors and online platforms
30 October 2026Employers must tell workers of their right to join a union and take 'all reasonable steps' to prevent sexual harassment
1 January 2027Unfair dismissal protection after 6 months' service, for dismissals from that date

Source: the Department for Business and Trade and the Home Office, read 23 September 2026.

The government says future dates remain subject to Parliament and may change. How far each measure applies in Northern Ireland was not confirmed when we checked; if you work there, check nidirect.

Who can work in the UK, and what does the Skilled Worker visa require?

Before your first day, you must prove your right to work. If you are not British or Irish, use a share code from your UKVI (UK Visas and Immigration) account or eligible immigration documents; the employer cannot insist on the code. British and Irish citizens show a passport, current or expired. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens who were not living in the UK by 31 December 2020 need a visa like everyone else.

Your statusCan you work?
Irish citizenYes, with no permission needed
Skilled Worker visaYes, in a job with an approved sponsor
Partner of a Skilled WorkerYes, except as a sportsperson or coach
Student at degree levelUp to 20 hours a week in term time, full time in vacations; no self-employment
Graduate visaMost jobs, and self-employment
Youth Mobility SchemeMost jobs; self-employment only with rented premises, equipment up to £5,000 and no employees
Asylum seekerUsually not; after 12 months without a decision, through no fault of yours, you can apply – for jobs at RQF level 6 or above
Refugee or humanitarian protectionYes, without restrictions

Source: UKVI and the Immigration Rules, read 23 September 2026.

The Skilled Worker visa was tightened on 22 July 2025: new applicants' jobs must generally be at RQF level 6 (graduate level), which removed about 180 occupations, and the general salary floor is £41,700 a year or the job's going rate, whichever is higher. Since 8 January 2026, new applicants need B2 English. Your employer must pay at least the minimum wage, and the Immigration Skills Charge is theirs to pay, not yours. Part 2 has the full visa rules.

You also need a National Insurance number, applied for online once you are in the UK. It can take up to 4 weeks, but you can start work before it arrives. Check your eVisa first – you may already have one (see part 3).

What is the UK minimum wage in 2026 – and what else must your employer give you?

The minimum wage is a national statutory rate set by age, not by sector or collective agreement, and it changes every 1 April. Apprentices get the apprentice rate if under 19, or in their first year; after that, the rate for their age. Agricultural workers in Wales have separate minimum rates that may be higher.

RightThe legal minimum
Pay, aged 21 and over£12.71 an hour (was £12.21)
Pay, aged 18 to 20£10.85 (was £10.00)
Pay, under 18 and apprentices£8.00 (was £7.55)
Working hoursUp to 48 a week on average, normally over 17 weeks, unless you opt out
Breaks20 minutes, not necessarily paid, if you work over 6 hours; 11 hours between working days; 24 hours off a week or 48 a fortnight
Paid holiday5.6 weeks: 28 days on a five-day week, 16.8 days on three; bank holidays can count
Sick pay£123.25 a week or 80% of normal earnings, whichever is lower, for up to 28 weeks; a fit note after 7 days off
Workplace pensionAutomatic enrolment from 22 if you earn at least £10,000; at least 8% of qualifying earnings, 3% or more from the employer
TipsPassed on in full, without deductions, since 1 October 2024

Source: UK government employment guidance, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) and nidirect, read 23 September 2026.

Bank holidays bring no automatic day off or extra pay – that depends on your contract. England and Wales have 8 in 2026, Scotland and Northern Ireland 10 each. Northern Ireland has the same 5.6 weeks of paid leave.

Contracts, notice and dismissal

You have a contract as soon as you accept a job offer, even if nothing is written down. Your employer must give you a principal written statement on your first day – pay, hours, holiday, place of work, expected length of the job, probation and required training – and a wider statement within 2 months, covering pensions, collective agreements and disciplinary and grievance procedures.

After a month in a job, you must give at least one week's notice, or more if your contract says so. Your employer must give at least one week in your first 2 years, then one week per year of service, up to 12 weeks. To claim unfair dismissal you currently need 2 years' service – 1 year in Northern Ireland – and must claim within 3 months.

About 22.4% of UK employees were union members in 2025, and around 39.9% of jobs had pay set with reference to a collective agreement – 89.6% in the public sector but 19.5% in the private sector. Union subscriptions may come out of your pay only with your written permission.

Are your qualifications recognised in the UK?

For most jobs, a Statement of Comparability from UK ENIC – formerly UK NARIC, managed by Ecctis for the government – shows how your qualification compares with UK levels. It costs £69.60 with an e-Statement and takes around 15 working days; it does not assess grades or English. For regulated professions, such as doctor or architect, the regulator decides, and professional licences are usually not eligible for a Statement. The Regulated Professions Register lists about 200 such professions.

Jobcentre Plus and the government's Find a job service cover England, Scotland and Wales; Northern Ireland has JobApplyNI. If something goes wrong at work, these are the places to call.

WhereFor whatContact
AcasFree employment advice, for workers and employers0300 123 1100, Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm
Fair Work AgencyComplaints about pay and work rights, such as unpaid minimum wageOnline form; serious abuse or modern slavery on 0800 432 0804, free, weekdays 9am to 5pm
Citizens Advice (England)Free advice on work, housing and debt0800 144 8848, usually weekdays 9am to 5pm

Source: Acas, the Fair Work Agency and Citizens Advice, read 23 September 2026.

What to do now

StepWhatWhen
1Have a share code or passport ready for the right-to-work checkBefore your first day
2Find your National Insurance number on your eVisa, or apply onlineYour first week in the UK
3Read your principal written statementYour first day
4Check your payslip against the minimum wage for your ageYour first payday
5Order a Statement of Comparability, or contact your regulatorBefore applying for jobs
6Call Acas if something is wrong: tribunal claims have a 3-month limit, 6 months from 1 October 2026As soon as a problem arises

Source: the Home Office, HMRC, UK ENIC and Acas, read 23 September 2026.

Official sources

The official pages this guide is based on, read 23 September 2026. Links open the authority’s own website.

Relocate in Europe provides general information, not legal or financial advice for your individual situation. Check with the authority named above before you act – rules change, and your case may differ.