If you are thinking of hiring an apprentice in the UK, you must pay at least the current minimum wage.

In 2023, the current apprentice minimum wage rate is £5.28 per hour. This follows a national increase from April 2023. This current rate of pay applies to apprentices under the age of 19, or apprentices 19 and over that are still in the first year of their apprenticeship.

Any apprentices over the age of 19, or in at least the second year of their apprenticeship, must receive the national or living wage that their age entitles them to.

As an employer, you must follow apprentice minimum wage guidance when creating your employment contract. However, as apprentice pay rates increase with age and duration of their training, regular salary reviews are required. So, because all new apprenticeship standards are longer than 1 year, it’s important to remember to increase the wage for any apprentices aged over 19 once they have completed their first 12 months.

For example, a 20-year-old who’s been an apprentice for 7 months would be entitled to a minimum of £5.28 per hour. Fast-forward six months, once they’ve been working for over a year, and their entitlement increases to a minimum wage of £7.49.

If you’re an apprentice with escalla and don’t think you’re being paid the apprentice minimum wage, or have other disputes with your employer about your agreed salary, please contact us at apprenticeships@escalla.co.uk. Alternatively, you can contact Acas on 0300 123 1100.