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Catch a minimum wage shortfall before payday

WagePilot checks pay against the National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage the way HMRC does: for each person, in each pay reference period, against the band that applies to their age and apprentice status. It warns you when you set a rate that is too low, and it flags periods where deductions or unpaid time pull someone under, with the workings shown.

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Minimum wage checks in the app

Flags pay below the National Minimum or Living Wage for each person’s age band, apprentice status and pay period.

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What you get

  • Rates checked against the right band: 21 and over, 18 to 20, under 18 and apprentice

  • Role rates checked too, not just the base rate

  • Checked per pay reference period, across every site the person worked

  • Accommodation offset and deductions for uniform, tools and meals included in the check

  • Apprentice rate flagged when the first year ends and the person is 19 or over

  • Rates updated every April, so the check moves with the law

Pricing: from £29 a site See all features

How it works, step by step

  1. 1

    Add each person’s date of birth and status

    When you add someone, record their date of birth and whether they are an apprentice, with their start date. WagePilot refuses an implausible date of birth (for example one set to today), because an age of "0" would otherwise put someone in the under-18 band and let a rate far below the adult minimum pass.

  2. 2

    Set rates, and see a warning straight away

    When you set an hourly rate, and any role rates for that person, WagePilot compares each one with the band they are in. A rate below the minimum shows a warning with the gap, and you have to type a reason before you can save it, so a low rate is never set by accident.

  3. 3

    Record accommodation and deductions

    If someone lives in accommodation you provide, or you deduct for uniform, tools or meals, record it against them. These change the minimum wage maths, and the check needs to know about them.

  4. 4

    Check each pay reference period

    For each pay period WagePilot adds up basic pay across every site the person worked (premium parts of overtime and shift pay do not count, as the rules require), applies the accommodation offset and job-related deductions, and compares the result with hours worked multiplied by the band rate at the start of the period. Salaried staff are checked too, using their annual hours.

  5. 5

    Fix it before payroll

    Shortfalls are flagged with the figures behind them, so you can correct a rate or a deduction before the hours go to your payroll. Every rate change keeps its effective date and history.

Who it is for

Minimum wage checks matter most for businesses with younger staff, apprentices, live-in staff or lots of hourly workers near the minimum: hospitality, retail, care, cleaning and holiday lets in particular. These are also the sectors HMRC names most often for underpayment.

They are useful for any owner who sets rates once and forgets them. Rates rise every April, people have birthdays that move them up a band, and apprentices pass the end of their first year. WagePilot keeps watching so a rate that was fine last year does not quietly become an underpayment.

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More of what WagePilot does

Geofenced clock-in Tap to clock in; we check location once, at that moment. GPS with a QR code by the till: no buddy-punching. Live labour cost A running total of what every site is costing right now, summed from everyone on shift. Catch an over-staffed shift before it is paid. Rota builder A week grid you fill in minutes. Copy last week, publish, and staff are notified instantly. No more Sunday-night spreadsheets. Holiday and leave Staff see their balance and request in taps. You approve from an inbox with a clash warning. Accrual and bank holidays handled. Audited timesheets Review, flag and approve. Every edit needs a reason and is logged: staff can see it too. Disputes get a paper trail. CSV export to payroll Approved hours out to your payroll in one click. Works alongside Xero, Sage & BrightPay; we never touch the pay run itself.

Minimum wage checks: common questions

Which minimum wage rates does WagePilot check against?
The UK rates in force on the date being checked. From 1 April 2026 these are £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over (the National Living Wage), £10.85 for 18 to 20 year olds, and £8.00 for under-18s and apprentices. Each April’s new rates are added as they are announced.
How does it know which band applies to someone?
From their date of birth and whether they are an apprentice. The band is fixed at the start of each pay reference period, as HMRC applies it, so a birthday mid-period takes effect from the next one. If the date of birth is missing, WagePilot assumes the 21 and over band, so a gap in your records can never lower the bar.
When can I pay the apprentice rate?
Only to an apprentice under 19, or an apprentice aged 19 or over in the first year of their apprenticeship. WagePilot works out when that first year ends from their start date and flags the person once the apprentice rate no longer applies.
Does it account for accommodation and uniform deductions?
Yes. You can record free or charged accommodation and deductions for uniform, tools, meals or other job-related costs. The period check uses the accommodation offset and takes job-related deductions off pay before comparing it with the minimum, and it shows the workings.
Does WagePilot guarantee I am compliant?
No tool can. WagePilot is pre-payroll: it records hours and produces estimated gross pay for your payroll, and its checks are there to catch shortfalls early. Your payroll and your accountant remain responsible for the final pay. Use the free minimum wage calculator to sanity-check any figure.
Is the minimum wage check on every plan?
Yes. Minimum wage checks are part of the core product on Free, Core (£29 a site a month) and Pro (£59 a site a month).

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