Apprentices' Rights in England

Who this guide is for

Apprentices working in England, and people thinking of starting an apprenticeship there. To start one you need to be 16 or over, living in England and not in full-time education.

What this guide does not cover

• Apprenticeships in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland: see Apprentices' Rights in Wales, Apprentices' Rights in Scotland or Apprentices' Rights in Northern Ireland.
• Minimum wage rates by age and how to complain in detail: see The Minimum Wage in the UK.
• Your other rights as an employee: see Your Rights as an Employee in England, Wales and Scotland.
• Funding, levy payments and the choice of training provider. These are for your employer and provider.
• Arrangements that are not an approved apprenticeship agreement, such as an old-style contract of apprenticeship. Different rules may apply: ask Acas.
• Tribunal time limits in detail: see our tribunal deadline guide.

What the rules depend on

1. How old are you, and how long have you been on the apprenticeship? That decides your minimum pay.
2. Do you have a signed apprenticeship agreement? It sets out your training and the dates.
3. How many hours a week do you work? Fewer than 30 hours can make the apprenticeship longer.
4. Does your agreement allow it to be ended early? That decides whether ending it early is a breach of contract.
5. When did your employment end, or the problem happen? That date decides your time limit.

"What will I be paid?"

You must be paid at least the National Minimum Wage. From 1 April 2026:

• under 19: £8.00 an hour, the apprentice rate
• 19 or over and in the first year of your apprenticeship: £8.00 an hour
• 19 or over and you have finished the first year: the minimum wage for your age (£10.85 at 19 or 20, £12.71 at 21 and over)

You must also be paid for the time you spend training or studying for your apprenticeship. Your contract of employment should make clear what you will be paid and for what hours.

"What must my apprenticeship agreement say?"

Your employer must sign an apprenticeship agreement with you. It gives:

• the skill, trade or occupation you are being trained for
• the name of the apprenticeship you are working towards
• the start and end dates
• the amount of training you will get, including how much off-the-job training

Your employer, your training provider and you must also sign a training plan. It sets out the planned content and schedule of training, what is expected and offered by each of you, and how to resolve queries or complaints. The training plan and the agreement are separate documents.

By law, an approved English apprenticeship agreement is treated as a contract of service (employment), not as an old-style contract of apprenticeship. Any term in it that conflicts with the apprenticeship conditions has no effect. Before your employer changes the agreement so that it stops being an apprenticeship agreement, it must tell you in writing.

"How much training do I get, and is it paid?"

Off-the-job training must take place in your normal working hours. Overtime does not count. You must be paid for it, and it counts as working time.

If you are also studying for English or maths qualifications that your apprenticeship requires, you are entitled to paid study time during your normal working hours.

The amount is written in your apprenticeship agreement. Under the government's apprenticeship funding rules for August 2026 to July 2027, an apprentice with no relevant earlier learning must get at least the amount of off-the-job training published for their apprenticeship, and never less than 187 hours. If you already have relevant learning or experience, your training can be shorter. Your training provider assesses this at the start and must agree any reduction with your employer.

An apprenticeship must last at least 8 months. That assumes you work at least 30 hours a week. If you work fewer hours, your provider must take your hours into account when setting the length, and agree with your employer that it is realistic. It may be longer.

"Do I get holiday and sick pay?"

Yes. Your employer must offer you the same conditions as other employees in similar grades or roles, including paid holidays and sick pay.

Almost all employees get 5.6 weeks' paid holiday a year. You keep building up holiday while you are training.

From 6 April 2026, statutory sick pay is paid from the first full day of sickness absence, with no minimum earnings.

If you are under 18, your working time must not go over 8 hours a day or 40 hours a week.

"Can my apprenticeship be ended early?"

Your employer can usually dismiss you before the end of the fixed term only if your apprenticeship agreement has a clause allowing it to be ended early, and it follows a fair procedure. It needs a valid reason, such as conduct or capability.

Some agreements have no clause allowing them to be ended early. Then, dismissing you or making you redundant before the end could be a breach of contract, and you could claim compensation.

A redundancy needs a fair process, including consultation.

Unfair dismissal needs at least 2 years of continuous employment now. Some dismissals need no minimum service. For the 6-month change from 1 January 2027 and the rest of your rights, see Your Rights as an Employee in England, Wales and Scotland.

Deadlines you must meet

• Most tribunal claims: 3 months less 1 day from the act you are complaining about, or 6 months less 1 day where that act (or the last in a series) happened on or after 1 October 2026.
• Unpaid wages or holiday pay: counted from the date the pay was due (the last one, for a series).
• Notify Acas within your time limit. Early conciliation pauses the clock.
• Your exact date depends on your facts. See our tribunal deadline guide.

Money figures

• Minimum wage from 1 April 2026: £8.00 apprentice rate; £8.00 under 18; £10.85 at 18 to 20; £12.71 at 21 and over.
• Statutory sick pay from 6 April 2026: £123.25 a week, or 80% of your average weekly earnings if that is lower.

Traps

• The apprentice rate is not for every apprentice. At 19 or over, it applies only in the first year.
• Training time is working time. You must be paid for it.
• A missing early-ending clause matters. Without one, ending your apprenticeship early could be a breach of contract.
• Unfair dismissal still needs 2 years' service for dismissals in 2026.
• Do not use the 6-month tribunal limit for an act that happened before 1 October 2026.