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Apprenticeships: a guide for parents and carers

What parents and carers need to know about apprenticeships in England: pay, tuition fees, Child Benefit, how long they take, how to help with applications and the questions to ask employers.

  • Applies to England
  • Reviewed
  • Reading time 2 min

The short answer

An apprenticeship is a paid job with training. Your child earns at least £8.00 an hour (from April 2026), pays no tuition fees, and gets at least 20 days' paid holiday plus bank holidays. They can apply while still at school if they'll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays. Child Benefit stops when they start an apprenticeship.

Key figures

Minimum hourly pay for apprentices under 19, or in their first year, from April 2026
£8.00
Source: GOV.UK
Tuition fees an apprentice pays
£0
Source: Apprenticeships.gov.uk
Minimum paid holiday a year, plus bank holidays
20 days
Source: GOV.UK
How long an apprenticeship takes, depending on type and level
8 months to 6 years
Source: GOV.UK

This guide is for parents and carers in England whose child is thinking about an apprenticeship. It’s written to help you ask the right questions, not to push either way.

What an apprenticeship is

An apprenticeship is a job with training built in. Your child would be an employee with a contract, a wage, holiday pay and the same rights as other workers. At least 20% of their normal working hours goes on training, at college, with a training provider or at work. Depending on the type and level, it takes from 8 months to 6 years. Levels go from Level 2 (roughly GCSE) up to degree apprenticeships at Levels 6 and 7.

Money

What the rules say
Pay At least £8.00 an hour from April 2026 if under 19 or in the first year
Tuition fees None, even for degree apprenticeships
Holiday At least 20 days’ paid holiday plus bank holidays

Many employers pay well above the minimum. Our apprentice pay guide has real examples, and the highest-paying apprenticeships page compares employers that publish pay.

When they can start

Your child can apply while still at school, as long as they’ll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays. Our guide to apprenticeships at 16 covers the details.

Questions to ask employers

  • Is the role permanent from day one, or a fixed-term training contract?
  • What’s the pay, and does it go up during the apprenticeship?
  • Where will the training happen, and how often?
  • What happens at the end?

Our guide to researching an employer has more.

How you can help

  • Help them research. Big employers publish a lot on their careers sites. Our employer search brings it together in one place.
  • Practise interviews. Ask them about a time they worked in a team or solved a problem, and help them use real examples.
  • Keep them going. Applying can take a while. Rejection is normal, and the government’s own advice says many people apply for several before getting one.

Summary

  • An apprenticeship is a real job: your child is an employee with a wage, holiday pay and employee rights.
  • Apprentices don't pay tuition fees, even on degree apprenticeships.
  • Child Benefit stops when your child starts an apprenticeship, because it counts as a job rather than approved education.
  • Your child can apply while still at school, as long as they'll be 16 by the end of the summer holidays.

Questions you might have

Is an apprenticeship a good option for my child?

It can be, especially if they learn best by doing and know roughly what job they want. They earn a wage, pay no tuition fees and get a recognised qualification. Our guide to apprenticeships vs university compares the two.

Will I lose Child Benefit if my child does an apprenticeship?

Yes. HMRC says you can't get Child Benefit if your child is on an apprenticeship, because it's a job rather than approved education or training.

How much will my child earn as an apprentice?

At least £8.00 an hour from April 2026 if they're under 19 or in their first year. Many big employers pay much more: Barclays pays all its apprentices £25,200, for example. Our apprentice pay guide has more examples.

Can my child apply for an apprenticeship and university at the same time?

Yes. Employers such as Kier say you can apply for both and decide once you have offers.

How can I help my child apply?

Help them research employers, practise interview questions and check their CV. The National Careers Service has free advice on applications and interviews, and our guides to writing a CV and interviews are written for young people.

What happens if my child doesn't get an apprenticeship?

Rejection is normal, and the government says many people apply for several before getting one. Our guide on what to do if you don't get an apprenticeship has practical next steps.

Sources and review

Last reviewed . Details can change after this date, so check the official source before you rely on them.

  1. Become an apprentice GOV.UK · accessed
  2. Become an apprentice: what you'll get GOV.UK · accessed
  3. National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates GOV.UK · accessed
  4. Child Benefit when your child turns 16 GOV.UK · accessed
  5. See what you'll be paid and your future salary Apprenticeships.gov.uk (Department for Education) · accessed
  6. Guidance for parents and teachers Kier · accessed

Read about how we research and review content.

  • Aldi apprenticeships

    The supermarket chain. It runs store, warehouse and HGV driver apprenticeships from Level 2 to Level 3, paying from £343 to £415 a week for 30 hours. The Career Starter store and warehouse routes need no qualifications.

    Retail and logistics
    • L2 Intermediate
    • L3 Advanced

  • Lloyds apprenticeships

    The banking group behind Lloyds Bank, Bank of Scotland and Scottish Widows. It has over a thousand apprentices, on permanent contracts from day one, in programmes from intermediate to degree level lasting 12 months to five years.

    Finance and professional services
    • L2 Intermediate
    • L3 Advanced
    • L4–5 Higher
    • L6–7 Degree