Minimum wage to rise to £95 for apprentices

Building apprentices struggling to make ends meet are set for a pay rise next year, with the minimum weekly wage to increase from £80 to £95.

The new £95 minimum will be introduced in August 2009 and is expected to benefit about 26,000 low-paid apprentices.

Skills secretary John Denham said the average apprentice earned about £170 but those working in social care and hairdressing often earned much less.

He said the wage boost aimed to make apprenticeships more attractive and allow one in five people to take up an apprenticeship within the next few years.

“We have rescued apprentices. We have trebled the number of people taking them up since 1997,” he said.

“More than 60% of people now complete their apprenticeships compared to just over 20% a few years ago.

“We will go on to make sure that they are a mainstream option for all young people and for adults in England.”