Master UK Minimum Wage Checker

Is everyone on your payroll paid at least the legal minimum for their age? Birthdays at 18 and 21, the end of an apprentice's first year and each April's rate rise all change the answer, and underpaying by mistake still means arrears at today's rate and possible HMRC penalties. This checker tests every pay period for every worker, with the April 2026 rates built in.

Made for UK employers, café, shop, care and hospitality owners and bookkeepers. Add each worker once, enter hours and pay for each pay period, and see the effective hourly rate, the minimum due, any shortfall and the arrears to pay.

▶ Easy Start Here guide included – video tutorial coming to our YouTube channel

Works in Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets, with no macros.

What it does for you

• Rate band worked out from date of birth at the start of each pay period: 21 and over (National Living Wage), 18 to 20, under 18 and apprentice
• Apprentice rule built in: the apprentice rate applies under 19, or aged 19+ in the first year of the apprenticeship; after that the age rate is used
• April 2024, 2025 and 2026 rates included (from 1 April 2026: £12.71, £10.85, £8.00, £8.00), plus the 1 April 2027 rates announced on 28/10/2026. Add future years as a row on the Rates tab
• Pay that counts: take off pay that does not count (premiums, tips, expenses) and deductions for your own benefit; accommodation handled with the daily offset (£11.10 from April 2026)
• Status for each period: OK, Close to the line (your % margin) or Underpaid, with the shortfall and arrears at today's rate (the HMRC method)
• Rate rise warnings: workers turning 18 or 21, or leaving the apprentice rate, within your chosen number of days
• Clear Check messages for text in a date or pay cell, a pay period for an unknown worker, a name used twice, a period ending before it starts and a Rates tab out of order
• Dashboard: 8 headline figures, today's rates, underpaid list, coming rate rises, a "What needs your attention" list and 3 charts
• Up to 60 workers and 200 pay periods

How it works (3 steps)

1. Set up once: your business name, the as-of date and the warning margin on Settings (about 1 minute)
2. Add each worker: name, payroll number, date of birth and apprenticeship start date if any
3. Check each pay period: enter hours, gross pay and anything that does not count, then read the Dashboard and fix anything flagged

What's included

• UK-Minimum-Wage-Checker.xlsx: filled with fictional example data (a café with 10 workers and 15 pay periods) so you can see how it works
• UK-Minimum-Wage-Checker-BLANK.xlsx: an empty copy, ready for your own team
• Works in Google Sheets: upload the .xlsx to Google Drive, right-click > Open with > Google Sheets, then File > Save as Google Sheets (tested: formulas and charts kept)
• Start-here.pdf: one-page quick-start guide, including how to open it in Google Sheets

Compatibility

• Microsoft Excel 2010 or newer (Windows & Mac) and Microsoft 365
• Google Sheets (free Google account). Set File > Settings > Locale to United Kingdom for £ and UK dates
• Not designed for Apple Numbers or mobile-only editing. A computer is recommended
• No macros, add-ons or subscriptions

Instant download

This is a digital product. Nothing physical will be shipped. Your download link appears straight after checkout and is also emailed to you. Stuck or have a question? Email info@phkmedia.co.uk and I'll gladly help you set it up.

Good to know

• Cream (pale yellow) cells are for your input. White and grey cells are worked out for you, and the sheets are protected (no password) so formulas are not overwritten by mistake
• A Health check on the Start Here tab and a Check/Status column on every log flag missing or odd entries
• Rates follow GOV.UK 'National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates' and 'Accommodation rates', re-checked on 02/11/2026. April 2027 rates from GOV.UK 'Minimum wage rates for 2027' (announced 28/10/2026)
• Time work (hourly pay) is checked directly. For salaried hours, output or unmeasured work, enter the hours that count for the period yourself. Salary sacrifice and averaging over long pay periods are not worked out for you
• Arrears: if a worker was underpaid, GOV.UK says arrears are paid at today's rate if that is higher. The checker uses that method
• Dates show as DD/MM/YYYY
• FAQ: Does it work for apprentices? Yes. Tick Apprentice and enter the start date; the rate changes automatically after the first year once they are 19 or over
• FAQ: Will it work next April? Yes. The 1 April 2027 rates are already on the Rates tab; add later years as a new row. Older pay periods keep their own rates. Free updates are sent when the rates change

DISCLAIMER

This checker is a checking aid, not legal or payroll advice. Check GOV.UK, the Acas helpline or your accountant for unusual cases such as salaried hours, output work, salary sacrifice or deductions for uniforms and tools. All names and figures in the example file are fictional.

Licence: Licensed for use within one business. Please do not resell, share or redistribute the files.

AI disclosure: This template and its listing images were designed by PHK MEDIA LTD with the help of AI tools. All formulas were tested and the files were reviewed and finalised by the seller.

© PHK MEDIA LTD

Licence: Licensed for use within one business or household. You may edit and print the files for that business. You may not resell, share or upload them for others.