Rate of record
Agriculture and the minimum wage
The Agricultural Wages Order is devolved. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set sector-specific rates that sit alongside the UK NMW. England aligned with NMW after the 2013 abolition of the Agricultural Wages Board.
Devolution split
- England: AWB abolished 2013. Agricultural workers covered by UK NMW only.
- Scotland: Agricultural Wages (Scotland) Order (No. 73) 2026 in force from 1 April 2026. One minimum of £12.71 an hour for workers of all ages, £8.00 for agricultural apprentices under 19 or in their first year, and at least £1.91 an hour extra for an SCQF Level 6+ agricultural qualification or a Lantra-approved apprenticeship certificategov.scot.
- Wales: Agricultural Wages Order (Wales) in force. Five grades (A to E, with age bands inside A and B) plus apprentice rates; from 1 April 2026 the top grade, Agricultural Manager, is £16.23 an hour. Where the NMW or NLW is higher, it appliesgov.wales.
- Northern Ireland: Agricultural Wages Board for NI. Five grades from 1 April 2026, from Agricultural Trainee (paid the NMW age rates) to Agricultural Manager at £14.44 an hour. Where the NMW or NLW is higher, it appliesdaera-ni.gov.uk.
Seasonal worker housing
Seasonal harvest workers are commonly housed by the employer. The £11.10/day NMW accommodation offset still applies; the AWO regimes have their own dovetailed rules. Charges above the cap reduce NMW pay pound-for-pound.
Accommodation under the Scottish Order
Scotland's 2026 Order values a house provided free of charge at £1 a week, and caps deductions for accommodation other than a house at £10.66 a daygov.scot. The NMW floor, including its own £11.10 daily offset, still applies UK-wide.