Living wage earners have been given a stark warning about how much they will take home in reality - even when the figure rises again in 2026. From 1 April 2026, the national living wage (NLW) for over‑21s will increase from £12.21 to £12.71 an hour. This means that in theory the persons should be earning £23,132 for a 35‑hour week and £24,784 for 37.5 hours. And it comes as Chancellor Rachel Reeves has frozen income tax thresholds for three more years to 2031 meaning more of the poorest workers