Apprentice Minimum Wage

Apprentices have specific minimum wage rules that depend on both age and stage of apprenticeship.

Apprentice Rate Overview

Current Rate

Category	Rate (2024-25)
Apprentice rate	£6.40/hour

When It Applies

Condition	Apprentice Rate Applies
Under 19	Any year of apprenticeship
19 or over	First year of apprenticeship only

When Higher Rate Applies

Condition	Rate
19+ AND past first year	Age-appropriate rate
21+ past first year	£11.44 (NLW)
18-20 past first year	£8.60

Understanding the Rules

Two Conditions to Check

Factor 1	Factor 2	Rate
Under 19	Any year	£6.40
19+	First year	£6.40
19+	Second year+	Age rate

Examples

Apprentice	Age	Year	Rate
Amy	17	First	£6.40
Ben	18	Second	£6.40 (under 19)
Chris	19	First	£6.40
Dana	19	Second	£8.60 (18-20 rate)
Eve	21	First	£6.40
Frank	21	Second	£11.44 (NLW)

First Year Calculation

When First Year Ends

Calculation	Method
Start date	When apprenticeship began
Anniversary	One year later
After anniversary	First year complete

Example

Start Date	First Year Ends
1 September 2024	31 August 2025
1 March 2024	28 February 2025

Birthday + Anniversary

If Both Occur	Effect
Turn 19	Still first year = £6.40
Then anniversary	19 + second year = £8.60

Transition Points

When Rate Should Change

Event	Action
Turn 19 (first year)	No change - still £6.40
First anniversary (under 19)	No change - still £6.40
Turn 19 + past first year	Move to 18-20 rate (£8.60)
Turn 21 + past first year	Move to NLW (£11.44)

Employer Obligations

Duty	Action
Track age	Birthdays
Track start date	Anniversary
Update pay	When conditions met

What Apprenticeships Qualify

Genuine Apprenticeships

Must Have	Detail
Approved framework	Government-recognised
Training plan	Structured learning
Workplace training	On-the-job
Assessment	End-point assessment

Not Apprenticeships

Situation	Minimum Wage
Trainee (not apprentice)	Age rate
Work experience	Age rate (if worker)
Internship (if worker)	Age rate

Checking Compliance

For Apprentices

Check	How
Your rate	Payslip
Against rules	Age + year
If wrong	Raise with employer

Common Errors

Error	Problem
Not updating rate	After year + age
Wrong anniversary	First year calculation
Not checking	Age changes

If Underpaid

Steps to Take

Step	Action
1	Check you're genuinely underpaid
2	Raise with employer
3	Contact ACAS
4	Report to HMRC

Arrears Owed

If Underpaid	Entitled To
Difference	Correct rate - paid rate
Per hour	Every hour worked
Back pay	From when should have changed

Special Situations

Changing Apprenticeship

Situation	Effect
New employer	Year may restart
Same apprenticeship	Year continues
Different apprenticeship	New first year

Part-Time Apprentices

Rules	Same Apply
Hourly rate	Same minimums
First year	Same calculation
Age transitions	Same rules

Overtime

Overtime	Same Rate
Must pay	At least minimum
No lower	For extra hours

For Employers

Compliance Checklist

Item	Check
Apprentice details	Age, start date
Current rate	Correct for circumstances
Transition dates	When changes due
Payroll updates	Made on time

Record Keeping

Keep	Why
Start dates	Calculate first year
Age records	Track transitions
Pay records	Evidence of compliance

Understanding Pay Calculations

Typical Apprentice Pay

Element	Consideration
Training time	Counts as work
Study time	At workplace counts
Off-the-job	May count

What Counts as Hours

Activity	Paid?
Working	Yes
Training at work	Yes
College (if paid release)	Usually
Studying at home	No

Future Rate Changes

Annual Updates

When	What
April each year	New rates announced
Government sets	Apprentice rate
May increase	Check gov.uk

Trends

Direction	Expected
Apprentice rate	Increasing
Gap narrowing	Vs age rates

Summary

Key Rules

Age	Year	Rate
Under 19	Any	Apprentice (£6.40)
19+	First	Apprentice (£6.40)
19-20	Second+	18-20 (£8.60)
21+	Second+	NLW (£11.44)

Remember

Point	Detail
Both conditions	Age AND year
Transitions	Watch for changes
Employer duty	Update pay
Your right	Correct rate