Are employers required to pay apprentices the national minimum wage?

Yes, employers are required to pay apprentices the national minimum wage. The apprenticeship rate, which is £6.40 per hour from 1 April 2024, applies to workers who are employed under a contract of apprenticeship, or under a specified government apprenticeship arrangement, who are aged under 19 or in the first 12 months of the apprenticeship.

Apprentices who are aged 19 or over and not in the first 12 months of the apprenticeship are entitled to the relevant rate of the national minimum wage depending on their age.