The apprentice minimum wage should be raised for over 18s to narrow the pay gap between apprentices and other workers, an independent advisory body has suggested.
The Low Pay Commission (LPC) began considering abolishing the apprentice minimum wage in November after hearing “widespread” concern that the “low” rate was discouraging people from taking apprenticeships.
In new advice published on Wednesday, the commission said the wage should be kept but that the government should link the rate to the national minimum wage for over 18s during the first year of their apprenticeship.
That means that the gap between the national minimum wage for adult apprentices and non-apprentices would be reduced (see table).
