The April 2026 wage rise was a reason to retire old rate versions

The confirmed April rates

The Low Pay Commission confirmed £12.71 for the National Living Wage, £10.85 for workers aged 18–20 and £8 for under-18 workers and qualifying apprentices. The increase came into force on 1 April 2026. The different categories still needed correct application by the employer and payroll team.

The statutory rates should not be confused with voluntary living-wage benchmarks or with the complete cost of employing someone. An agency’s commercial charge needs a separate authorised review. A compliant pay decision cannot be deferred simply because a client-facing rate discussion has not finished.

Where an old rate can stay in circulation

A central rate card may be current while a scheduled email, a copied advert or an assignment-extension template retains an earlier figure. A recruitment team can therefore appear updated on paper while candidates continue to receive inconsistent information. The practical challenge is identifying where information is generated, not merely where the master table is stored.

An effective review includes current vacancies, accepted offers, recurring bookings and any automated communications that repeat pay details. It should also distinguish historic records retained for a valid reason from templates still available for routine use. Archiving a document is only useful if staff can see that it has been superseded.

Searches for earlier figures can help locate stray templates, but each result still needs a human owner to confirm whether it remains operational.

Run a version audit across the workflow

Key Med Solutions can help create an inventory of rate-bearing templates and active assignment records, then implement client-approved updates. The responsible payroll owner should confirm the figures, categories and effective periods. Administrative support can record completion and return unresolved records for a decision.

A practical exception list identifies the system, affected record, outstanding action and owner. For example, an old external advert may need removal, while an assignment extension may need a revised approval. Treating both as a generic data issue makes it harder to prioritise the work before candidates or clients receive the next communication.

The April 2026 lesson is to retire old operational versions deliberately. Key Med can coordinate the records and pay-and-bill handover, while employers retain responsibility for lawful pay and payroll calculations. A current rate source should always be checked before a new instruction is issued.