Apprentices' Rights in Wales

Who this guide is for

Apprentices working in Wales on a Welsh apprenticeship: a Foundation Apprenticeship, an Apprenticeship, a Higher Apprenticeship or a Degree Apprenticeship.

What this guide does not cover

• Apprenticeships in England, Scotland or Northern Ireland: see Apprentices' Rights in England, 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.
• How much off-the-job training your framework requires. Ask your training provider.
• Arrangements that are not a statutory 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. Is your apprenticeship on a recognised Welsh framework, with a written apprenticeship agreement? That decides which law applies to your contract.
3. Does your agreement allow it to be ended early?
4. 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)

The apprentice rate applies if you have a statutory apprenticeship agreement or a contract of apprenticeship, and to Foundation Apprenticeships, Apprenticeships and Higher Apprenticeships run under Welsh Government arrangements.

Your employer must pay you for any time you spend on work-related learning or training. It counts as working time for the minimum wage.

"What is an apprenticeship agreement?"

In Wales, an apprenticeship agreement under the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009 must:

• be in the prescribed form: a written statement of your main terms of employment (or a written contract or letter of engagement that does the same job), plus a statement of the skill, trade or occupation you are being trained for
• state that it is governed by the law of England and Wales
• state that it is entered into in connection with a recognised Welsh apprenticeship framework

By law, an apprenticeship agreement is treated as a contract of service (employment), not as an old-style contract of apprenticeship. So the ordinary rules for employees apply to it.

"Do I get holiday and sick pay?"

Yes. Apprentices have the same holiday entitlement as employees. 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, 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.
• England's rules for apprenticeship agreements are different. Do not use an England guide for a Welsh apprenticeship.
• A missing early-ending clause matters. Without one, ending your apprenticeship early could be a breach of contract.
• Do not use the 6-month tribunal limit for an act that happened before 1 October 2026.