Know Your Worth - Check Your Apprentice Pay Rates

7th February 2024

During National Apprenticeship Week HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is encouraging apprentices to claim the money that is rightfully theirs. Whether that's making sure you're being paid the correct hourly rate to claiming the savings in your Child Trust Fund, this is how to do it.

Know your worth

You've started an apprenticeship, you’re bringing home a wage, but are you getting paid correctly? Apprentices are the workers most likely to be underpaid according to The Low Pay Commission.

Apprentice pay rates

Most workers are legally entitled to the National Minimum Wage, but minimum rates of pay differ, depending on your age and what year of your apprenticeship you’re in.

16 to 18 years old and in an apprenticeship = £5.28 per hour
19 and over, first year apprentice = £5.28 per hour.

19 or over and have completed your first year of apprenticeship? You are entitled to the National Minimum Wage or National Living Wage rate for your age.

Rates change on 1 April each year. Search ‘national minimum wage rates’ on GOV.UK.

Common mistakes made by employers include not paying apprentices for the time they spend training, or for all the time worked; and not increasing the hourly rate after the annual increase, or when the apprentice has completed their first year.

It is always worth checking your pay. If you think that you are not receiving the correct minimum wage:

Speak with your employer or tutor if you are happy to do so.
If you don’t feel comfortable doing that, you can always raise the issue with HMRC online at https://www.gov.uk/minimum-wage-complaint. This can be done any time - day or night. Watch this video to find out more.

You can also call Acas on 0300 123 1100 for confidential advice or the Labour Relations Agency in Northern Ireland on 03300 555 300. Translation services are available.