- The UK government published its updated National Minimum Wage rates, revealing what apprentices are entitled to earn per hour in 2026
- Apprentices aged under 19, or those aged 19 and over in their first year, qualify for a specific lower rate separate from the general minimum wage
- Workers aged 21 and over are entitled to a higher rate under the National Living Wage, which has applied to this age group
The UK government has published its official National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates for 2026.
This confirmed the minimum hourly pay that apprentices and workers of different ages are entitled to receive.
Photo credit: Museum of the Prime Minister.
Source: UGC
According to the official UK government page, the rates took effect in 2026 and apply across age groups.
Apprentices are set at £8 (roughly ₦16,600) per hour, matching the rate for workers aged under 18. Workers between 18 and 20 years old receive £10.85 (roughly ₦22,500) per hour, while those aged 21 and over are entitled to the National Living Wage of £12.71 (roughly ₦26,400) per hour.
Who Qualifies for the Apprentice Rate
Not every apprentice is automatically placed on the lower rate. The £8 (roughly ₦16,600) hourly minimum applies to apprentices who are either under 19 years old, or who are aged 19 and over but are still within the first year of their apprenticeship programme.
As a practical example, an apprentice aged 21 who is in their first year of training is still entitled to only £8 (roughly ₦16,600) per hour.
However, once that same apprentice completes the first year, they become eligible for the full minimum wage applicable to their age group, which at 21 and over amounts to £12.71 (roughly ₦26,400) per hour.
How Rates Have Changed Over the Years
The government’s published figures show a steady upward trajectory in minimum wage rates over the years. Between April 2025 and March 2026, the rate for workers aged 21 and over stood at £12.21 (roughly ₦25,300) per hour, while apprentices received £7.55 (roughly ₦15,700) per hour during that same period.
Going further back, the April 2024 to March 2025 period saw workers aged 21 and over earn £11.44 (roughly ₦23,700) per hour, with apprentices on £6.40 (roughly ₦13,300) per hour. In April 2021, the equivalent rate for those aged 23 and over was £8.91 (roughly ₦18,500) per hour, while apprentices received just £4.30 (roughly ₦8,900) per hour.
It is worth noting that the age threshold for the National Living Wage has also shifted over time.
Before April 2021, it applied only to workers aged 25 and over. It was later extended to those aged 23 and over, before being lowered again to cover workers aged 21 and over from April 2024.
Workers who believe they are not being paid the correct minimum wage can contact [Acas](https://www.acas.org.uk/) for guidance, and the government also provides a minimum wage calculator to help individuals verify whether they are receiving the correct amount.
Lady in UK boasts about weekly pay
Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that a Nigerian lady living in the UK posted a TikTok video boasting that her weekly pay is equivalent to what some people earn over two months.
She filmed herself outdoors on a residential street in a lighthearted clip that quickly caught attention online.
Source: Legit.ng