Should the minimum wage be £20 per hour?

The UK's National Living Wage stands at £12.21 per hour for workers aged 21 and over as of early 2026, rising to £12.71 in April. This equates to around £25,500 annually for a full-time 40-hour week before tax, amid complaints that living costs like stamps, food, fuel, and housing have outpaced wage growth—for instance, if wages matched stamp price rises since 2005, the minimum would be £16.05 per hour. Businesses report higher employment costs, with a 74% increase since 2020 for a full-time 21-year-old, fuelling debates on job losses, price hikes, youth unemployment, and whether such a sharp rise to £20 per hour—nearly 63% above current levels—is viable without harming the economy.