Apprentice wage calculator
From 1 April 2026 the National Minimum Wage for apprentices under 19, or in the first year of an apprenticeship, is £8.00 an hour, rising to £10.85 at 18 to 20 or £12.71 at 21 and over afterwards, under gov.uk's National Minimum Wage rates. This calculator estimates weekly and annual pay from age, first-year status and hours.
Which rate applies to me?
The apprentice minimum wage, £8.00 an hour from April 2026, is not for every apprentice forever, under gov.uk's National Minimum Wage rates. It covers two groups: anyone under 19, and anyone of any age still in the first year of their apprenticeship. Once you are both 19 or older and past that first year, the apprentice rate no longer applies and you move to the standard National Minimum Wage for your age.
That handover matters, because the age-band rates are higher: £10.85 an hour at 18 to 20 and £12.71 at 21 and over. A 20-year-old finishing their first year, for example, jumps from £8.00 to £10.85, a real rise for the same hours. The tool checks your age and first-year status and picks the rate that legally applies.
| Rate | Hourly rate |
|---|---|
| Apprentice rate | £8.00 |
| Under 18 | £8.00 |
| 18 to 20 | £10.85 |
| 21 and over (National Living Wage) | £12.71 |
What does a worked example show?
Take an 18-year-old apprentice in their first year working 37.5 hours a week. They are on the apprentice rate of £8.00, so weekly pay is £8.00 times 37.5, about £300. Over a year that is roughly £15,600 before tax. Finish the first year and turn 19, and the same hours on the £10.85 rate would pay noticeably more, which is the gain waiting at the end of year one.
Common questions
What is the apprentice minimum wage in 2026?
From 1 April 2026 the apprentice rate is £8.00 an hour. It applies to apprentices under 19, and to apprentices aged 19 or over who are still in the first year of the apprenticeship. After that first year, a 19 or over apprentice moves to the normal minimum wage for their age.
When do I stop getting the apprentice rate?
Once you are 19 or older and have finished the first year of your apprenticeship, whichever comes later. At that point you are entitled to the standard rate for your age: £10.85 at 18 to 20, or £12.71 at 21 and over from April 2026. Many apprentices see a jump in pay at that point.
How much does an apprentice earn a year?
On the £8.00 apprentice rate at 37.5 hours a week, gross pay is about £15,600 a year before tax. The exact figure depends on your contracted hours, and many employers pay above the legal minimum, so treat this as the floor, not a typical wage.
Do apprentices pay tax and National Insurance?
They can, on the same rules as any employee. Income tax starts once pay passes the personal allowance and National Insurance once it passes the primary threshold. On the apprentice rate at full-time hours, pay is low enough that tax is usually small or nil, but it is not automatically exempt.
Does the apprentice rate cover training time?
Yes. You must be paid at least the minimum for all the hours of your apprenticeship, including the off-the-job training time, not just the hours spent working. If your pay divided by your total hours falls below the rate, that is underpayment.
Which rate applies to me?
The apprentice minimum wage applies if you are under 19, or if you are 19 or older but still in the first year of your apprenticeship. Once both of those no longer hold, meaning you are 19 or over and past the first year, you move onto the standard age-band rate instead, which from April 2026 is £10.85 at 18 to 20 or £12.71 at 21 and over, under gov.uk's National Minimum Wage rates.
What does a worked example show?
The example takes an 18-year-old first-year apprentice working 37.5 hours a week on the £8.00 apprentice rate, giving weekly pay of about £300 and annual pay of about £15,600 before tax. It also shows that finishing the first year and turning 19 would move the same hours onto the higher £10.85 rate.
Sources & Rate Verification
Rates verified against official statutory guidance on 6 September 2026.