Minimum Wage 17: What You Need to Know

If you're a 17-year-old starting a job in the UK, your pay is protected by the National Minimum Wage. From April 2026, the hourly rate for under-18s is £8.00, up from £7.55 in the previous year. This article explains how to convert that hourly rate into an annual salary, compares it with salaried offers, and shows where it sits relative to UK benchmarks.

The Legal Minimum for 17-Year-Olds

GOV.UK National Minimum Wage rates state that workers aged 16 and 17 (who are not apprentices) are entitled to at least £8.00 per hour from April 2026. Apprentices under 19 or in their first year also receive the same apprentice rate of £8.00. This is the statutory floor – employers can pay more, but never less.

Converting Hourly to Annual Salary

A common rule of thumb for converting hourly pay to a yearly figure is:

Annual salary ≈ hourly rate × hours per week × 52 weeks

However, the number of hours a 17-year-old works can vary widely. Many are still in education and work part-time, often 10–20 hours per week. Legal restrictions also apply: under-18s cannot work more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week if they are not in full-time education, and those in school have tighter limits.

Here are some example annual figures at the £8.00 rate:

• 10 hours/week: £8.00 × 10 × 52 = £4,160
• 20 hours/week: £8.00 × 20 × 52 = £8,320
• 30 hours/week: £8.00 × 30 × 52 = £12,480
• 37.5 hours/week (typical full-time): £8.00 × 37.5 × 52 = £15,600

These are gross amounts before any deductions. Because the personal allowance for Income Tax is £12,570 (2026/27), a 17-year-old earning below that pays no tax. National Insurance contributions start when weekly earnings exceed about £242 (2026/27 threshold), so part-time workers may also be exempt.

Comparing with Salaried Offers and UK Benchmarks

When you receive a salaried job offer, you can compare it to your current hourly wage by converting the salary to an hourly rate. For example, a full-time salary of £20,000 at 37.5 hours per week works out to about £10.26 per hour – higher than the minimum wage 17 rate. But many salaried roles require more responsibility or longer hours, so always check the contract.

ONS ASHE data for April 2025 shows that median full-time hourly earnings (excluding overtime) were £19.67, and median full-time annual gross pay was £39,039. These figures are much higher than the minimum wage for a 17-year-old, reflecting the fact that most full-time workers are older and more experienced. For a teenager, the minimum wage is a starting point, and pay can increase with age, qualifications, and experience.

London Weighting and Other Allowances

Some employers, especially in London and the South East, add a weighting to pay. For example, NHS pay scales include Higher Cost Area Supplements (HCAS) that can add 5% or 20% to basic pay. If you're working in a high-cost area, your actual hourly rate may be above the statutory minimum. Always check your contract for any location-based allowances.

Overtime and Additional Pay

The minimum wage 17 rate applies to basic hours. Overtime must also meet the minimum wage, but there is no legal requirement to pay a premium rate for overtime. Some employers offer time-and-a-half or double time, but this is not guaranteed. When comparing hourly jobs with salaried offers, consider whether overtime is paid and at what rate.

Using Our Tools

To quickly convert any hourly rate to an annual salary, try our Hourly to Salary calculator. You can also explore salary data for different age groups and occupations. For more guidance on UK pay benchmarks, visit our topics page.

Summary

The minimum wage for a 17-year-old in the UK is £8.00 per hour from April 2026. Converting this to an annual salary depends on your weekly hours – typical part-time work yields between £4,000 and £12,000 gross per year. This is well below the median full-time earnings of £39,039, but it's a legal minimum that ensures fair pay for young workers. Always compare hourly and salaried offers carefully, considering hours, overtime, and any location allowances.

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