National Union of Students celebrates £300 million increase for further education, but National Society of Apprentices warns that apprentice minimum wage increase does not go far enough.
The government has pledged a further £300 million for colleges and sixth forms in the Autumn Budget.
It has also been announced that the government will increase the apprentice minimum wage to £7.55 per hour, an 18% uplift from the previous wage of £6.40.
However, £7.55 will be just two thirds of the new national minimum wage when it comes in in April.
The government has also committed to increasing the minimum wage for 18–20- –year –olds, decreasing the gap between the national minimum wage and the minimum wage for under 21s.
Commenting, Qasim Hussain, NUS Vice President Further Education, said:
“We are really pleased that the government has listened to students and apprentices and pledged an additional £300 million for Further Education. We hope this money will make a tangible difference in schools and colleges.
“We also welcome the changes to the minimum wage: both the narrowed gap between the national minimum wage and the minimum wages young people receive, as well as the 18% increase in the apprentice minimum wage. This is an incredible win for apprentices, and is due to the tireless campaigning of the National Society of Apprentices. It will benefit students and apprentices across the country, particularly those who support their families alongside getting an education.
“However, we also want to recognise that, despite this being a huge increase, the £7.55 apprentice minimum wage is still just two thirds of the National Minimum Wage.
“Apprentices have to pay full price for rent, bills, and other essentials, so why is their pay only two thirds of that of everyone else?
“Apprentices are workers: they build your homes, care for your children, and cut your hair. No one should be paid under minimum wage, but especially not people who work so hard in such essential professions.
“We are immensely proud of the campaigning our apprentices have done to win this uplift, and I hope this is just the start of the support they will see from our new government. Going forward, we would like to see Labour take further steps to abolishing age-related minimum wages in the Employment Rights Bill, and extend this to apprentices, so that no one is paid less for doing the same work.”
Speaking on behalf of the National Society of Apprentices, Annabel May said:
“Young adult workers are still getting a raw deal on pay. Their bills aren’t any cheaper, but they have to make ends meet with less.
“At NSoA we wholeheartedly agreed with the now chancellor when she said this in 2022 and believed her when she promised that all adults would be entitled to the same minimum wage.
“When it suits government, we’re workers. 16- and 17-year-old apprentices remain ineligible for child benefit. Most apprentices are adults, not living with mum and dad earning pocket money but adults trying to deal with the raw deal they’ve been given once again.
“Apprenticeships should be an accessible way to gain a qualification without incurring debt, but the poorest people cannot afford to undertake them because the pay is just too low for those who do not have financial support from their families. I know fellow apprentices that go hungry because they cannot afford food.
“Despite it not quite being what we had campaigned for the Low Pay Commission proposal to tie apprentice pay to 80% of the living wage seemed a fair compromise to us. We are surprised and disappointed that the government has sidestepped this recommendation.”
