The national minimum wage rates increased on 1 April 2026. Employers should be aware that the apprentice rate applies only during the first year of the apprenticeship, or if the apprentice is under 19.
Increased national minimum wage rates apply from 1 April 2026. The rate apprentices must be paid depends on their age and whether they are still in the first year of their apprenticeship.
The Apprenticeships (Miscellaneous Provisions) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2025 (SI 2025/599) reduce the minimum duration of the practical period of apprenticeships in England from 12 to eight months.
The Regulations allow apprentices undertaking specified apprenticeship standards to move between different arrangements throughout their apprenticeship.
We look at the challenges that local authorities face in meeting the public sector apprenticeship target, alongside the opportunities that apprenticeships can present for local government employers.