Myth buster for apprentices, pay and training time

Earning whilst your learning-Myths and Facts

Myth: Training time doesn’t count as working time.
Truth: All training time counts as working time for minimum wage purposes and must be paid at least the minimum wage rate.

Myth: All apprentices should be paid the £4.30 apprentice rate.
Truth: If you’re an apprentice aged 19 and over and have completed your first year you should get at least £6.56 per hour, if not more depending on your age.

Myth: If you’re paid the correct minimum wage rate you don’t need to worry about National Minimum Wage underpayment.
Truth: You may be surprised that you could still be underpaid if you’re not paid for all the time you worked, or if your employer is making wage deductions.

Myth: Reporting underpayment is too difficult and not worth your time.
Truth: Reporting can be done online and takes less than 5 minutes. From April 2020 to March 2021 workers received over £16.7m in back pay. 

We recommend speaking to your employer first.

Myth: It’s ok for your employer to pay you the £4.30 apprentice rate before or after your apprenticeship starts/ends.
Truth: If you haven’t started your apprenticeship, you are legally entitled to receive the higher minimum wage rate for your age group. You can check the rates on the Check Your Pay website

07 Jul 2021