The Board comprises of representatives for employers (nominated by NFU Scotland and Scottish Land and Estates), and employee representatives from Unite the Union. There are also 5 independent members of the Board, nominated by Scottish Ministers, one of whom is designated Chair.
The order contains detailed legal requirements for the calculation of minimum pay, holidays, sick pay etc.
The Order will come into effect from 1 April 2026.
Summary of Changes for 2026
- Minimum hourly rates: £12.71 per hour (+4.1%)
- Minimum hourly rates for agricultural apprentices: £8.00 per hour (+4.6%)
- Overtime: No Change to the current arrangement
- Additional Sum: Increase to £1.91 (4.1%)
- Holiday Entitlement: No change was sought by either side in this area
- Agricultural Sick Pay: No change to the current arrangement, with a note that changes in wording would be required within the AWO to reflect upcoming changes in legislation
- Dog Allowance: Increase to £11.18 (12%) to bring in line with the dog allowance set in Wales
- Accommodation Offset: To stay at its current rate of £10.66
Fair Work First and the Real Living Wage
Employers in Scottish agriculture are facing growing conflicts between the statutory framework set by the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board (SAWB) and the Scottish Government’s Fair Work First (FWF) conditions.
The interaction between these systems creates duplication, additional cost pressures and policy inconsistency, particularly where Real Living Wage (RLW) expectations exceed wage rates agreed through the Scottish Agricultural Wages Order (SAWO).
This risks placing Scottish producers at a competitive disadvantage within the UK single market.
For the third year in a row, the employers negotiated strongly to ensure that the Agricultural Minimum Wage did not increase to align with the Real Living Wage. We continue to focus efforts of highlighting the conflicts between fair work first criteria, changes to employment law and the wages order.
Age Banding
During the confirmatory meeting, a Terms of Reference for a short-term working group, with the aim of exploring the reintroduction of age banding, was approved.
This group will be made up of representatives from the wages board (employers, employees and independent members) and look at the options for reintroducing age banding to the wages order.
NFUS Position
- Scottish agriculture should operate within the same statutory employment framework as the rest of the Scottish and UK economy.
- Maintaining a separate agricultural wages regime alongside additional Fair Work First conditionality creates regulatory duplication and increases cost pressures for farm businesses.
- The next Scottish Government should review the continued necessity of the Scottish Agricultural Wages Board and consider disbanding the Board.
- We support fair pay and good employment practice, but it must be delivered through a coherent and competitive framework that does not disadvantage Scottish producers.