Apprentice min wage after first year 28 October 2022 at 7:49PM in Employment, jobseeking & training 1 reply 101 views

snae

I am over 23 and started an apprenticeship working in an office just over a year ago.
I get paid ~£7 an hour and was told this is good for an apprentice.
My apprenticeship lasts 15 months.

Question 1:
gov.uk and the acas websites state that I should be paid at least the min wage for my age per hour after the first year.

Does this mean that 12 months into my apprenticeship I should be earning £9.50/hour or does it mean after 15 months?

Question 2:
We learned a while ago that there are loads of long-term, salaried employees earning less than min wage.
We had a pay rise recently of a percentage or £10.
£10 was for ALL those who earned under that amount and the percentage for ALL those who earned above, or so I was told.

I asked HR a few days ago how it applies to me and was told that the £10 pay increase only applied to those on our production line who earn hourly wage and are not salaried, meaning that the percentage amount only applies to me, especially as I'm an apprentice. This puts me at ~£8.

Am I being underpaid?

Marcon

snae said:

I am over 23 and started an apprenticeship working in an office just over a year ago.
I get paid ~£7 an hour and was told this is good for an apprentice.
My apprenticeship lasts 15 months.

Question 1:
gov.uk and the acas websites state that I should be paid at least the min wage for my age per hour after the first year.

Does this mean that 12 months into my apprenticeship I should be earning £9.50/hour or does it mean after 15 months?

Question 2:
We learned a while ago that there are loads of long-term, salaried employees earning less than min wage.
We had a pay rise recently of a percentage or £10.
£10 was for ALL those who earned under that amount and the percentage for ALL those who earned above, or so I was told.

I asked HR a few days ago how it applies to me and was told that the £10 pay increase only applied to those on our production line who earn hourly wage and are not salaried, meaning that the percentage amount only applies to me, especially as I'm an apprentice. This puts me at ~£8.

It means after the first year (i.e. 12 months).

snae said:

Am I being underpaid?

Sounds like it. See https://www.gov.uk/am-i-getting-minimum-wage and you'll get immediate confirmation. Forget what other people are earning and focus on your own position.