The minimum amount you must pay your apprentices depends on their age and how far along the programme they are.
Apprentices 16-18, or any age and in their first year of the apprenticeship, are entitled to the national apprenticeship minimum wage of £8.00 per hour.
After the first year of their apprenticeship, if they are over 19, they are entitled to the national minimum wage for their age.
This is a minimum amount, and there is no maximum. Many employers pay their apprentices above minimum wage, but this is entirely up to you.
The below shows you exactly what you should be paying your apprentices and is correct as of April 2026.
| Age | Situation | Minimum hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| Any age | Apprentice under 19, or aged 19+ in year 1 of apprenticeship | £8.00 |
| 18–20 | Aged 19–20, year 2+ of apprenticeship | £10.85 |
| 21+ | Aged 21+, year 2+ of apprenticeship | £12.71 |
Correct as of April 2026.
Paying employer National Insurance contributions
You may not need to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions for your apprentice if the apprentice is:
- under 25 years old
- on an approved UK government apprenticeship standard (or a framework, if started on or before 31 July 2020)
- earns less than £967 a week (£50,270 a year)
From April 2025, the standard employer NI rate increased to 15% and the earnings threshold at which it applies dropped to £5,000 per year. The apprentice exemption has therefore become significantly more valuable: for an apprentice earning £20,000, eligible employers save approximately £2,250 per year in NI contributions.
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