M&S £13.41 Minimum Wage: How Much Marks & Spencer Pays Staff in 2026
• August 21, 2026
The M&S £13.41 minimum wage search refers to Marks & Spencer’s current standard hourly base rate for UK Customer Assistants outside London. From 1 April 2026, M&S increased the rate to £13.41 an hour, while London-based Customer Assistants moved to £14.74 an hour.
The £13.41 figure is not the statutory UK minimum wage. The legal National Living Wage for workers aged 21 and over is £12.71 an hour from April 2026. M&S therefore pays its standard Customer Assistant rate 70p an hour above that legal benchmark.
M&S’s 2026 annual reporting confirms the 6.4% increase to £13.41 nationally and £14.74 in London. Current M&S vacancies advertised in August 2026 also continue to show £13.41 an hour for Customer Assistant positions.
M&S Pay History: What Was the Minimum Wage Before, What Is It Now and Why Did It Change?
M&S has raised its standard retail hourly rate several times in recent years as wages, inflation and competition for retail employees have changed.
What Was the M&S Hourly Pay Rate Before £13.41?
Immediately before the 2026 increase, M&S Customer Assistants outside London received £12.60 an hour. London Customer Assistants were paid £13.85 an hour.
Those rates took effect from 1 April 2025 after M&S increased national Customer Assistant pay from £12.00 to £12.60. At the time, M&S said the £12.60 national rate and £13.85 London rate were aligned with the Real Living Wage.
The progression of the standard national rate has been substantial:
| Year | M&S Customer Assistant National Rate | London Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | £10.90 | £12.05 |
| 2024 | £12.00 | £13.15 |
| 2025 | £12.60 | £13.85 |
| 2026 | £13.41 | £14.74 |
The wider UK minimum wage increase in 2026 also changed the wage environment for retailers, particularly those employing large numbers of hourly paid staff.
What Is the M&S Minimum Hourly Pay Now?
As of August 2026, the standard published M&S Customer Assistant pay is £13.41 an hour nationally and £14.74 an hour in London.
The rate applies to Customer Assistants rather than every person employed by Marks & Spencer. Management, specialist, support and other positions may operate under different salary or hourly pay structures.
M&S’s annual report says the majority of its workforce are Customer Assistants and that these colleagues generally receive the same hourly base rate, with differences in total pay potentially arising from premiums and benefit choices.
Why Did M&S Increase Pay to £13.41 an Hour?
M&S described its 2026 wage increase as part of continued investment in frontline retail employees.
The retailer committed more than £70 million to its 2026 retail pay increase and said it had invested more than £350 million in colleague pay over four years. Over the same period, hourly retail pay had increased by around 34%.
The move also came as employers across the UK faced higher wage costs and pressure to remain competitive when recruiting and retaining workers.
Those pressures extend beyond major retailers, with UK SMEs facing higher employment and operating costs in 2026 as well.
When Did the New £13.41 M&S Pay Rate Start?
The M&S £13.41 hourly rate began on 1 April 2026.
That date is important because the statutory National Living Wage also increased on 1 April 2026. The two rates changed on the same day, but they are separate figures set in different ways.
M&S determines its own Customer Assistant base rate, while the Government establishes the legal minimum that eligible employers must meet.
How Long Will the £13.41 M&S Pay Rate Remain in Place?
M&S has not announced a fixed public end date for the £13.41 rate.
The company presented the increase as its retail pay rate for the year ahead. More importantly, current M&S vacancies continued to advertise £13.41 an hour during August 2026, including roles with closing dates later in the month.
That means £13.41 remains a current advertised Customer Assistant rate as of 21 August 2026.
It should not, however, be assumed that the figure will remain unchanged throughout 2027. M&S regularly reviews retail pay, while statutory minimum wage rates normally change each April. Any future M&S increase would need to be confirmed by the company.
How Much Does M&S Pay Staff in 2026?
M&S employee pay depends on the person’s role and location. For standard Customer Assistant positions, the clearest published distinction is between the national rate and the London rate.
M&S Customer Assistant Pay in the UK
The national M&S Customer Assistant pay rate is £13.41 an hour.
Approximately 55,000 Customer Assistants were covered by the 2026 retail pay announcement, making the rate relevant to a large proportion of M&S’s UK store workforce.
Current vacancies indicate that £13.41 applies across different Customer Assistant functions. Recent listings have included café, bakery, Food, Fashion, Home & Beauty and Operations positions.
Some roles may also attract additional premiums. One August vacancy, for example, advertised £13.41 an hour plus a £3 hourly unsocial-hours premium for qualifying hours between 10pm and 6am.
How Much Does M&S Pay Workers in London?
London-based Customer Assistants receive a higher standard rate of £14.74 an hour.
The London rate increased from £13.85 to £14.74 on 1 April 2026, representing the same approximately 6.4% increase applied to the national Customer Assistant rate.
The difference between the standard national and London rates is £1.33 an hour, reflecting the separate London pay structure used by M&S.
For people comparing retail employment in the capital, hourly rates are only one factor. Shift availability, contracted hours and location can also affect whether a position is suitable. Retail remains one of the common about part-time jobs in London.
Do All M&S Employees Earn £13.41 an Hour?
No. The £13.41 figure should not be treated as the universal wage for every M&S employee.
It is the standard national rate associated with Customer Assistants. Employees in London receive a different rate, while managers, specialist workers, distribution employees and other roles can have separate pay arrangements.
Additional premiums can also change earnings for particular shifts or responsibilities.
This distinction matters when searching for Marks and Spencer wages, because a single headline hourly rate cannot describe the pay structure of an entire company.
How Much Did M&S Increase Pay in 2026? What Was the Percentage Increase?
M&S increased its national Customer Assistant rate from £12.60 to £13.41 an hour, a rise of 81p.
That works out at approximately 6.4%.
London Customer Assistant pay increased from £13.85 to £14.74, an increase of 89p an hour and approximately the same 6.4% percentage rise.
| Location | 2025 Rate | 2026 Rate | Hourly Increase | Approximate Increase |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National | £12.60 | £13.41 | £0.81 | 6.4% |
| London | £13.85 | £14.74 | £0.89 | 6.4% |
M&S described the increase as exceeding the inflation rate it used when announcing the award and said the change represented one of its continuing investments in colleague pay.
M&S Pay 2026 Compared With the UK Minimum Wage and Real Living Wage
The M&S £13.41 minimum wage phrase can cause confusion because three separate wage figures are relevant in 2026.
| Pay Benchmark | National Rate | London Rate | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| M&S Customer Assistant Base Rate | £13.41 | £14.74 | Employer-Set Pay |
| National Living Wage, Age 21+ | £12.71 | £12.71 | Statutory Minimum |
| Real Living Wage | £13.45 | £14.80 | Voluntary Benchmark |
M&S £13.41 vs UK National Living Wage
The Government’s current National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates show that workers aged 21 and over are entitled to at least £12.71 an hour from 1 April 2026.
M&S’s £13.41 national Customer Assistant rate is therefore:
- 70p Higher Per Hour
- Approximately 5.5% Above The £12.71 Legal Rate
- An Employer-Set Rate Rather Than The UK Statutory Minimum
Different legal minimum rates apply to younger workers and qualifying apprentices.
Does M&S Pay Above the Legal Minimum Wage?
For a Customer Assistant aged 21 or over receiving the standard £13.41 rate, M&S pays above the statutory National Living Wage.
The national difference is 70p an hour.
For a London Customer Assistant on £14.74, the difference against the £12.71 statutory rate is £2.03 an hour.
Retail pay competition means the gap above the legal minimum varies considerably between employers. For example, the current Aldi pay rise for 2026 puts that retailer’s national Store Assistant starting rate at £13.50 from April 2026.
Does M&S Pay the Real Living Wage in 2026?
M&S’s standard 2026 Customer Assistant rates are slightly below the current voluntary Real Living Wage benchmarks.
The Real Living Wage benchmark is £13.45 across the UK and £14.80 in London for 2025-26.
That leaves M&S:
- 4p Below The National Real Living Wage
- 6p Below The London Living Wage
The Real Living Wage is voluntary and is calculated separately from the Government’s statutory National Living Wage.
M&S therefore complies with the relevant statutory wage benchmark for Customer Assistants on its standard rate, while its current base rates no longer exactly match the voluntary Real Living Wage.
Scan the £13.41 M&S Pay Rate
The headline £13.41 figure is an M&S Customer Assistant rate, not the UK statutory minimum wage. Change the location and year to see where the rate actually sits.
Why Did M&S Increase Its Minimum Hourly Pay to £13.41?
The £13.41 rate forms part of a longer period of M&S investment in retail wages rather than a one-off adjustment.
M&S said retail colleague pay had increased by more than 34% over four years. The company has been raising base rates while competing for workers in a labour market where large retailers must balance employee pay with rising operating costs.
The 2026 statutory wage increase is also significant for the wider retail sector. Employers paying close to the legal floor needed to account for the National Living Wage moving from £12.21 to £12.71 for workers aged 21 and over.
M&S was already above the statutory rate, so its move to £13.41 was not simply an increase to meet the legal minimum. It maintained a premium above the law while positioning its pay within a competitive retail market.
Has M&S Stopped Matching the Real Living Wage?
Yes. M&S's standard Customer Assistant base rates no longer exactly match the voluntary Real Living Wage in 2026.
What Changed Between 2025 and 2026?
In 2025, M&S increased national Customer Assistant pay to £12.60 and London pay to £13.85. Those figures matched the Real Living Wage benchmarks applying at the time.
The 2025-26 voluntary benchmarks later increased to £13.45 nationally and £14.80 in London.
M&S then set its 2026 Customer Assistant rates at £13.41 and £14.74, leaving gaps of 4p and 6p respectively.
The difference is small in hourly terms, but it marks a change in policy position because M&S can no longer describe those base rates as matching the current Real Living Wage.
What Has M&S Said About Returning to the Real Living Wage?
M&S faced questions about the issue again at its Annual General Meeting on 7 July 2026.
In its published AGM questions and answers, M&S said investment in colleague pay remained a priority and pointed to more than £350 million invested over four years and the 6.4% increase introduced in 2026. It also described itself as one of the better-paying retailers in the sector.
The company's published AGM response did not provide a firm date for returning its Customer Assistant base rates to exact Real Living Wage alignment.
That distinction is important. M&S may change pay again in a future review, but no confirmed future rate should be assumed until it is announced.
What Does the £13.41 M&S Pay Rate Mean for Employees?
For Customer Assistants, the effect depends heavily on contracted hours.
Example: Earnings for an M&S Worker on £13.41 an Hour
A Customer Assistant working 37.5 paid hours each week at £13.41 an hour would have illustrative gross earnings of:
- £502.88 Per Week
- Approximately £2,179 Per Month On A Simple Annualised Basis
- Approximately £26,149.50 Per Year
These figures are examples rather than guaranteed M&S salaries.
Actual gross earnings can differ because of contracted hours, unpaid absence, overtime, premiums, changes in working patterns and other circumstances. Tax, National Insurance and pension deductions would also affect take-home pay.
What Other Employee Benefits Does M&S Offer?
M&S combines hourly pay with a broader colleague reward package.
The company has highlighted benefits including:
- 20% Colleague Discount On Eligible M&S-Branded Products
- Workplace Pension Contributions
- Sharesave Opportunities
- Family Leave Benefits
- Additional Premiums For Certain Roles Or Working Hours
Benefits should not automatically be treated as equivalent to cash hourly pay when comparing statutory wage entitlement. Base pay and benefits serve different purposes.
Are Current M&S Jobs Still Advertising £13.41 an Hour?
Yes. Current recruitment evidence supports the view that £13.41 remains the active M&S Customer Assistant pay rate in August 2026.
An M&S Café Customer Assistant vacancy in Oxford, crawled in August and closing on 27 August 2026, advertised a salary of £13.41. A Woking bakery Customer Assistant role with a 31 August closing date also advertised £13.41 an hour.
Other recently advertised positions in Food, Fashion, Home & Beauty and café operations have carried the same rate.
This current vacancy evidence adds an important freshness check. The £13.41 figure is not simply an announcement made in March. It remains visible in live or recently active recruitment material during August.
What Should M&S Employees and Job Applicants Check?
Anyone assessing M&S hourly pay in 2026 should check the specific vacancy or employment documentation rather than relying only on the £13.41 headline figure.
Important details include:
- Job Title And Department
- Store Location
- National Or London Pay Rate
- Contracted Weekly Hours
- Any Unsocial-Hours Or Role Premium
- Whether Breaks Are Paid
- Pension And Benefit Arrangements
- The Effective Pay Rate Shown In The Contract
Workers who want to check how hourly pay is treated for legal minimum wage purposes can use the checking whether pay meets minimum wage rules.
Applicants should also remember that a part-time hourly rate does not by itself show expected monthly income. Contracted hours and available shifts can make a major difference to total earnings.
Conclusion: What the M&S £13.41 Minimum Wage Means in 2026
The M&S £13.41 minimum wage refers to Marks & Spencer's standard national Customer Assistant base rate rather than the statutory UK minimum wage.
The rate increased from £12.60 to £13.41 an hour on 1 April 2026, representing a rise of approximately 6.4%. London Customer Assistants moved from £13.85 to £14.74 an hour.
At £13.41, M&S pays 70p above the £12.71 National Living Wage applying to workers aged 21 and over. However, the national rate is 4p below the current £13.45 voluntary Real Living Wage, while the London rate is 6p below the £14.80 London benchmark.
Current M&S vacancies in August 2026 continue to advertise £13.41 for Customer Assistant positions, confirming that the rate remains relevant at the time of writing. M&S has not announced a fixed end date or confirmed what its next retail pay rate will be.
Frequently Asked Questions About M&S Pay in 2026
Does M&S Pay £13.41 an Hour in 2026?
Yes. M&S currently advertises £13.41 an hour for standard Customer Assistant positions outside London. Current vacancies published during August 2026 continue to carry the rate.
What Is the M&S Minimum Wage in 2026?
The standard M&S Customer Assistant base rate is £13.41 an hour nationally. This is an employer-set M&S pay rate, not the statutory UK minimum wage.
How Much Does M&S Pay Customer Assistants?
Standard Customer Assistant pay is £13.41 an hour outside London and £14.74 an hour for London-based Customer Assistants. Other roles can have different pay structures.
How Much Does M&S Pay Per Hour in London?
M&S increased its London Customer Assistant rate to £14.74 an hour from 1 April 2026. The previous London rate was £13.85.
Is the M&S £13.41 Hourly Rate Above the UK Minimum Wage?
Yes. For workers aged 21 and over, the statutory National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour from April 2026. M&S's £13.41 Customer Assistant rate is 70p higher.
Does M&S Pay the Real Living Wage?
M&S's standard 2026 Customer Assistant rates are slightly below the current voluntary Real Living Wage. The national gap is 4p an hour, while the London gap is 6p.
When Did the M&S £13.41 Pay Rate Start?
The £13.41 national Customer Assistant rate took effect on 1 April 2026. M&S has not announced a fixed end date, and August 2026 vacancies continue to advertise the rate.
