Am I Being Paid the Minimum Wage?

Most people check the minimum wage by looking at the hourly rate on their payslip. But the law does not just look at that number. It looks at all the time that counts as work in a pay period, and at your pay after certain costs the job forces on you.

So a job that says "£12.71 an hour" can still pay less than the minimum wage. That can happen if you travel between jobs unpaid, sit unpaid training, or have to buy your own uniform. This post explains how to work out your real hourly rate, using the rules on GOV.UK and HMRC's National Minimum Wage manual.

The simple sum

For each pay period, take your pay and divide it by the hours that count as work. If the answer is below the rate for your age, you may be underpaid.

The check is done over each "pay reference period". That is the period your pay packet covers: a week, or a month if you are paid monthly. Your average for that period must reach the minimum wage.

The hard part is getting the hours right. Many people only count their shift times.

Time that counts as work

GOV.UK says to include time spent:

• at work and required to be working, or on standby near the workplace (not rest breaks you take)
• travelling in connection with work, including from one job to another
• training, or travelling to training
• waiting to collect goods, meet someone for work or start a job
• kept at the workplace when you can't work because a machine has broken down

Time that does not count includes your journey between home and work, rest breaks, holidays, sick leave and strikes.

Travel between jobs

This matters most for care workers, cleaners and others who go from one address to the next. HMRC's manual says travel "between assignments which need to be carried out at different places" counts as working time.

GOV.UK gives an example. A care worker with two morning visits and no break must be paid at least the minimum wage for the visits and the travel between them. But if the worker goes home between visits, the trips home and back do not count. A break taken on the way is not counted, but the rest of the travel still is.

So if you are paid only for "contact time", add up the travel between visits. Then do the sum again.

Training

HMRC's manual says time spent on training your employer requires counts as working time. This still applies if the training is outside your normal hours and your contract requires it.

If your employer charges you for training it requires, that charge also lowers your pay for minimum wage purposes.

Sleep-in shifts

GOV.UK says the rules depend on whether you are awake to work. Time spent at or near work when you are allowed to sleep, and a place to sleep is provided, does not count if you are not working.

HMRC's manual says this applies where the sleeping facilities are suitable and "the worker is not awake for the purposes of working". If you are woken up to work, that time is working time and counts.

So for a sleep-in, keep a note of the times you were actually up and working.

Uniform, tools and other costs

Some costs the job forces on you lower your pay when the minimum wage is checked. GOV.UK says this includes things you bought for the job and were not paid back for, such as tools, uniform or safety equipment.

HMRC's manual says this applies to a uniform your employer requires, even something plain like "any black trousers and any white tee shirt" that you can buy in any shop.

GOV.UK's example: a worker paid £520 a week who pays £15 a week to rent a uniform is treated as paid £505.

Tips, service charges and extra pay for unsocial hours on a shift do not count towards the minimum wage.

A worked example

Sam is 25 and does home care visits. One week Sam is paid £12.71 an hour for 30 hours of visits, which is £381.30. Sam also spends 4 hours that week travelling between visits, unpaid, and paid £20 for a required tunic.

Hours that count: 30 + 4 = 34. Pay that counts: £381.30 minus £20 = £361.30.

£361.30 divided by 34 is about £10.63 an hour. That is below £12.71.

(This is a made-up example to show the sum, not a ruling on anyone's case.)

If the numbers come out short

GOV.UK says to talk to your employer first. You can ask in writing to see your pay records.

You can complain to HMRC using its online form. HMRC enforces the minimum wage on behalf of the Fair Work Agency. If you do not want your employer told who complained, you can say so on the form. You can also go to an employment tribunal yourself.

If an employer owes arrears, they have to pay them back.

GOV.UK's free minimum wage calculator can help you check.

Northern Ireland

The rates are the same in Northern Ireland. nidirect says to talk to your employer first, then you can ask for your pay records. The employer must produce them within 14 days. You can report to HMRC, and the Labour Relations Agency gives free advice.

Sources: GOV.UK (National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates, including the April 2027 row; Minimum wage for different types of work; Employers and the minimum wage; Worker disputes over minimum wage; Pay and work rights complaints), HMRC National Minimum Wage Manual (NMWM08280, NMWM08290, NMWM08300, NMWM11215, NMWM11220), nidirect, HM Treasury (Budget 2026).