Apprentice National Minimum Wage goes up by record amount

Apprentices up and down the country are getting their biggest ever collective pay rise today: the Apprentice National Minimum Wage has been raised to £3.50

That’s over a £1,000 increase annually for full time apprentices.

At the same time, over one million people will also receive a pay rise as the general National Minimum Wage has also gone up by 20p, from £6.50 to £6.70 per hour.

The boost for apprentices is the largest ever, and means that those working 40 hours a week will now have £1,185 more in their pay packet over the year.

By implementing a rate higher than the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) recommendation, the government hopes apprenticeships will now deliver a wage that is comparable to other choices for work.

Business Secretary, Sajid Javid said: “The increase for apprentices is the largest in history making sure that apprenticeships remain an attractive option for young people.

“While the National Minimum Wage will see the largest real-terms increase since 2007.”

Here’s a breakdown of all the hourly increases, which came into effect on 1 October 2015:

- The adult rate increased by 20p to £6.70

- The 18-20-year-old rate increased by 17p to £5.30

- The 16-to-17-year-old rate increased by 8p to £3.87

- The apprentice rate increased by 57p to £3.30

From April 2016, the government plans to introduce a new mandatory National Living Wage for workers aged 25 and above, initially set at £7.20 per hour.