During their apprenticeships, apprentices must be paid at least the national minimum wage, so yes, you get paid for an apprenticeship.
Apprentices under the age of 19 and those aged 19 and over who are in the first year of their apprenticeship may be paid £4.81 per hour (from 1 April 2022) for certain companies offering more. Individuals who do not fall under any of these categories should be paid the minimum wage within their age bracket. GOV.UK provides information on the appropriate hourly rates.
Note: according to the rules, any new rate (for those turning 19 and completing their second year of apprenticeship) starts at the start of the next pay period. People naturally assume that whilst being paid monthly and hitting the age of 19 (say) on the 15th of the month, they should be paid at the higher rate for the rest of the month. They are, though, only entitled to it as of the first of the month after their birthday.
The mandatory minimum wage rate should be paid for working time and training on and off the job. This includes time spent at college or with an off-site training provider, ensuring you get paid for an apprenticeship.
Unfortunately, some companies do not truly understand how minimum wage wages function, and as a result, some apprentices are not often paid what they are legally entitled to. If you think you are not adequately paid, speak with your boss or call the ACAS Pay and Work Rights Helpline.
Please remember that the government increases the minimum wage amounts on 1 April yearly.
What are the apprenticeship terms and conditions?
Since most apprentices are employed, they receive the same rights as other employees, including the option to enrol in a pension if they meet the criteria (auto-enrolment).
However, their things to remember:
- An apprentice can work at least 30 hours a week. Even in situations where the individual’s circumstances or the existence of the job in a particular field make this impossible, an absolute minimum of 16 hours must be met. In such situations, the apprenticeship period should be prolonged.
- Apprentices are often entitled to paid holidays
- Many of the Working Time Rules’ extra provisions for young workers under 18 may apply to apprentices, such as young employees won’t work more than eight hours a day or 40 hours a week. If their shift is more than four and a half hours, they are usually entitled to at least 30 minutes of rest.
What are the tax implications?
Apprentices, it is commonly believed, are not required to pay income tax. I’m afraid that’s not right. Apprentices, like anyone else, are expected to pay income tax, but at least they get paid for an apprenticeship.
What is the care leaver apprenticeship bursary?
There is a £1,000 bursary (payment) for qualified apprentices who have fulfilled at least 60 days of their apprenticeship. The apprenticeship provider collects the money and then distributes it to the apprentice. In other words, the apprentice is under no obligation to apply.
The apprentice may remain in care or have quit care in the UK before the age of 16 to be qualified for the bursary.
In conclusion, we hope you now understand that you get paid for an apprenticeship.