HomeAny questions? National Minimum Wage for apprentices
We regularly receive queries via our website. We do not give advice, but we try to signpost sources of further information and support. Occasionally we will post them anonymously as ‘question and answer’ news items. Here, we were asked about what is the National Minimum Wage (NMW) for an apprentice.
Please note – this is posted as a ‘news’ item, which means the information and links are not reviewed and updated. You should not rely on it without checking the full facts of your case with a tax or welfare rights adviser.
Question: My daughter turned 18 in June 2018, and also started her second year of her apprenticeship what should she be getting paid per hour?
Answer: Please note that the Tax Guide for Students website is written and run by the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group (LITRG) to provide tax information to students and their advisers. LITRG is an initiative of the Chartered Institute of Taxation (CIOT) to give a voice to the unrepresented taxpayer.
We do not offer an advice service, but we give below some general information on what the NMW position is for apprentices.
| Age | From 1 April 2018 (current) Rate per hour |
From 1 April 2017 Rate per hour |
| Age 25 and over (National Living Wage from 1 April 2016) | £7.83 | £7.50 |
| 21 and over | £7.38 | £7.05 |
| 18 to 20 | £5.90 | £5.60 |
| Under 18 | £4.20 | £4.05 |
| Apprentices* (all apprentices under age 19 AND any apprentice, regardless of age, in first year of apprenticeship) |
£3.70 | £3.50 |
As your daughter is under 19 then she will still be on the apprentice’s NMW rate, even though she is in the second year of her apprenticeship. The NMW for your daughter is currently £3.70 per hour. However, when your daughter turns 19 her NMW rate will change to £5.90 per hour as she has also completed one year of her apprenticeship.
There are examples showing how the NMW is applied to apprentices on our website.
There is also more information available on our National Minimum Wage factsheet.
(16-07-2018)
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