To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that apprentices are paid the real Living Wage in 2023.
Answered on
23 January 2023
The department is committed to ensuring that apprentice pay supports the attraction and retention of talented individuals into apprenticeships. It is right that apprentices receive a wage which is fair and commensurate with the value and skills that they bring to their workplaces.
We have taken steps to improve apprentice pay including aligning the apprentice national minimum wage rate with the national minimum wage rate for under 18s and accepting in full the recommendations of the independent Low Pay Commission to increase the apprentice national minimum wage by 9.7% from April 2023. This means an apprentice will be entitled to a minimum wage of at least £5.28 per hour in the first year of their apprenticeship. We are also continuing to work across government to tackle employer pay non-compliance and ensure apprentices receive the wages they are entitled to.
Many employers choose to pay their apprentices more than national minimum wage rates recognising the value that apprentices bring to their workplace. Our data shows that average hourly pay for apprentices ranges between £8.23 for Level 2 and £14.02 for Level 6.