The legal minimum wage Scotland employers must pay is the same as the rest of the UK: £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over. Employment law, including the minimum wage, is set by the UK Parliament, so there is no separate Scottish rate. What is different in Scotland is Income Tax, and the strong push for employers to pay the voluntary real Living Wage.
At a glance
- Legal minimum in Scotland: £12.71 an hour for 21 and over, the same as the rest of the UK.
- Real Living Wage: £14.10 an hour, voluntary.
- Scottish Income Tax uses different bands, so take-home pay can differ slightly.
Minimum wage Scotland rates
| Age group | Legal minimum per hour | Full-time year (37.5 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 and over | £12.71 | £24,784.50 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 | £21,157.50 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 | £15,600.00 |
| Apprentice | £8.00 | £15,600.00 |
The same rates apply in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and everywhere else in Scotland. To see what they pay for your hours, use the minimum wage salary calculator.
The real Living Wage in Scotland
The real Living Wage is a voluntary rate set by the Living Wage Foundation. Outside London it is £14.10 an hour from the October 2026 announcement, and accredited employers must pay it by 1 May 2027. It applies to all workers aged 18 and over.
The Scottish Government promotes the real Living Wage through its Fair Work First approach, which links some public funding and contracts to fair work practices, including paying at least the real Living Wage. So jobs in the public sector, and with employers that receive Scottish public grants, often pay above the legal minimum.
| Rate | Per hour | Per year (37.5 hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Legal minimum (21 and over) | £12.71 | £24,784.50 |
| Real Living Wage (outside London) | £14.10 | £27,495.00 |
Scottish minimum wage and Income Tax
Scotland sets its own Income Tax bands, with a 19% starter rate on the first slice of taxable income. On a full-time minimum wage salary of £24,784.50, someone in Scotland takes home about £1,783.68 a month, slightly more than the £1,780.37 in England, because of the lower starter rate.
For your exact figure, choose Scotland in the monthly take-home pay calculator.
What is the minimum wage in Scotland for young workers?
The minimum wage Scotland rates for young people are the same as in England: £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds and £8.00 for under-18s and apprentices in their first year. Young people in Scotland can usually leave school at 16, and only become entitled to the minimum wage once they are over school leaving age. See minimum wage by age.
Paid below the minimum wage in Scotland?
If you are paid less than the legal minimum, speak to your employer first. You can get free advice from Acas or Citizens Advice Scotland, and complain to HMRC, which enforces the minimum wage across the UK. Our UK minimum wage guide explains each step.
Minimum wage in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen
Because minimum wage Scotland rates are set for the whole UK, there is no city-by-city difference. A worker in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen or the Highlands is entitled to the same hourly rate for their age.
Living costs do vary, especially rent, so the same wage goes further in some places than others. That is one reason many Scottish employers choose to pay the real Living Wage.
Take-home pay on the minimum wage: Scotland vs England
| Hours a week | Gross a year | Take-home a month (Scotland) | Take-home a month (England) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 hours | £13,218 | £1,086.94 | £1,086.40 |
| 30 hours | £19,828 | £1,486.26 | £1,482.96 |
| 37.5 hours | £24,785 | £1,783.68 | £1,780.37 |
| 40 hours | £26,437 | £1,882.81 | £1,879.51 |
At lower incomes, Scottish taxpayers pay slightly less Income Tax because of the 19% starter rate. The gap is small, but it adds up over a year.
What Fair Work First asks of employers
Fair Work First is the Scottish Government’s way of encouraging better working practices among organisations that get public money. Alongside paying at least the real Living Wage, its criteria include things such as giving workers an effective voice, investing in skills, avoiding inappropriate use of zero-hours contracts and offering flexible working.
It does not change the legal minimum wage, but it means many public sector and publicly funded jobs in Scotland pay more than the legal floor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Scotland?
£12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, the same as the rest of the UK.
Is there a Scottish minimum wage?
No. The minimum wage is set for the whole UK. Scotland cannot set its own legal rate, but it does encourage the higher real Living Wage.
Is the minimum wage in Glasgow or Edinburgh different?
No. The legal rates are the same in every Scottish city and town.
Figures checked on 5 November 2026.