Thinking about an apprenticeship this September? The salary matters. You need to know what you will earn, whether it covers your travel and everyday costs, and how it might grow as you learn.
Recent TDR apprenticeship adverts included £15,600 a year for a health and safety role in Blyth and £16,224 for an internal sales administration role in Gateshead. Those figures look different. Once you account for the hours, both work out at £8 an hour.
This guide to apprentice wages in the UK starts with real North East examples, then explains the minimum rates, monthly pay and questions worth asking before accepting an offer.
Figures checked in September 2026. Advertised salaries are before deductions. The vacancies below are recent examples, with advertised closing dates that have passed.
What do apprentices earn in the North East?
There is no single salary for an apprentice in Newcastle, Gateshead or the wider North East. The employer sets the offer, subject to the legal minimum that applies to you. Your hours make a difference to the annual figure too.
These three Level 3 opportunities were advertised for September 2026 starts.
| Apprenticeship | Location | Advertised annual pay | Weekly hours | Equivalent hourly pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apprentice CAD Technician, advertised through TDR | Team Valley, Gateshead | £15,392 for the first year | 37 | £8.00 |
| Health and Safety Apprentice, Draeger | Blyth | £15,600 | 37.5 | £8.00 |
| Apprentice Internal Sales Administrator, Air Purification Skroll Limited | Team Valley, Gateshead | £16,224 | 39 | £8.00 |
Sources are the CAD technician advertisement on Find an apprenticeship, TDR’s Draeger vacancy and TDR’s internal sales administrator vacancy. Hourly equivalents divide annual pay by 52 weeks and the advertised weekly hours.
These are individual advertised offers, not a regional average or a promise about what another employer will pay. They also do not establish salaries for later apprenticeship years.
For these roles, the £832 difference between the lowest and highest annual salaries comes entirely from working two extra hours each week. It is a good reason to read beyond the headline salary.
Start with TDR’s apprenticeship vacancies to explore opportunities near you, and check availability with our team before applying.
Apprentice wages in the UK, the minimum rates for 2026
From 1 April 2026, the apprentice minimum wage is £8 an hour. It applies if you are under 19, or aged 19 or over and in the first year of your apprenticeship.
Once you are at least 19 and have completed your first year, the minimum rate for your age applies.
| Your circumstances | Minimum hourly pay from April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Under 19 | £8.00 |
| Aged 19 or over, in your first year | £8.00 |
| Aged 19 or 20, after completing your first year | £10.85 |
| Aged 21 or over, after completing your first year | £12.71 |
These rates apply in the North East as they do elsewhere in the UK. See the official minimum wage rates.
The word “minimum” matters. An employer can pay more, and TDR’s engineering apprenticeship guidance explains that many of its employers choose to do so. The actual amount belongs in your employment contract.
What does that mean each month?
An annual salary can feel abstract when you are planning bus fares, lunches and a contribution at home. Monthly figures make the comparison easier.
The table below uses a 37.5 hour paid week throughout. It shows what the current minimum rates would produce over 52 weeks, with annual pay divided by 12.
| Hourly rate | Gross weekly pay | Gross annual pay | Average gross monthly pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| £8.00 | £300.00 | £15,600.00 | £1,300.00 |
| £10.85 | £406.88 | £21,157.50 | £1,763.13 |
| £12.71 | £476.63 | £24,784.50 | £2,065.38 |
“Gross” means before deductions. The calculations use the exact hourly rates before rounding the displayed totals. They are illustrations at today’s rates, rather than salary forecasts for future years.
Ask whether the employer pays monthly, weekly or every four weeks. Every four weeks means 13 payments a year, so it is different from receiving one payment each calendar month.
Also check the first payday. If you start just after a payroll deadline, you need to know when the first payment will arrive and what period it covers. That helps you plan the travel costs of getting started.
Will I pay tax on an apprenticeship wage?
Being an apprentice does not automatically exempt you from Income Tax or employee National Insurance. What comes out of your pay depends on your earnings and circumstances.
For the 2026 to 2027 tax year, the standard Income Tax Personal Allowance is £12,570. In England, the basic rate is 20% on taxable income within the basic rate band. GOV.UK explains the allowances and bands.
Employee National Insurance is calculated separately. For the usual apprentice category, the rate is 8% on monthly earnings above £1,048 and up to £4,189. Check the current National Insurance rates.
For a simple illustration, £15,600 paid evenly across a full tax year is £1,300 gross a month. With a standard tax allowance, ordinary employee National Insurance and no pension or other deductions, that is approximately £1,229 a month after Income Tax and National Insurance.
Your payslip may differ, particularly if you start partway through the tax year, have another job or make pension contributions. Use the salary to compare offers, then ask payroll to explain your expected deductions before building a budget around a particular amount.
How does pay change after the first year?
There are two separate things to check. One is your minimum wage entitlement. The other is your employer’s own pay progression.
For someone aged 19 or over, completing the first year changes which legal minimum applies. Someone still under 19 can remain on the apprentice minimum rate even after finishing that year. Acas explains apprentice pay by age and year.
An employer may also offer increases as you complete training stages, develop skills or take on responsibility. Ask for the schedule and any conditions in writing. An advertised starting salary cannot tell you what you will receive in years two, three or four.
It helps to ask a precise question. Instead of “Does the pay go up?”, ask “What would my salary be after 12 months, and what would I need to achieve for that increase?”
Keep future minimum wage changes in mind too. A person starting in September 2026 will reach their first anniversary in September 2027. The rates in this article describe 2026, so they should not be treated as the rates that will necessarily apply then.
Does a higher apprenticeship level mean higher pay?
A qualification level describes the learning involved. It is not a salary band.
The three local adverts above all offered Level 3 apprenticeships, but their annual salaries differed because their hours differed. Looking only at the level would not have explained that.
When comparing Level 2, Level 3 and Level 4 routes, start with the work you want to do and the entry requirements you meet. Then look at the employer’s salary, training arrangements and progression opportunities. Do not assume that moving to a higher level automatically brings a particular pay rise.
You can explore TDR’s apprenticeship programmes to compare routes in engineering, manufacturing, science and business administration. If you already have a relevant qualification, talk to the team about how it fits the apprenticeship you are considering.
Do you get paid for training days?
Yes. Training that forms part of your apprenticeship is paid time. That includes required study towards English and maths qualifications where these form part of the programme. Your contract should set out your normal working hours. See GOV.UK’s apprentice pay and conditions guidance.
Before you start, find out how the week will work. Will you attend TDR on particular days, train in blocks, or spend most of the week with your employer? Get the addresses and start times for both locations.
For someone living in Gateshead and working locally, a training day at Quorum Business Park in Newcastle might mean a different journey. Check that journey as carefully as the commute to work.
You do not pay tuition fees for your apprenticeship training. That removes one large cost, although you will still need to budget for everyday living and travel. The government’s apprentice salary guide explains the distinction.
Compare what you will have left, as well as what you earn
A salary needs to work in your everyday life. Before accepting an offer, put the expected pay beside the costs you will actually face.
Start with transport. Check the earliest shift, the last bus home and the route to your training provider. A journey that works at 9am may not work for a 7am start. If you drive, include parking as well as fuel.
Then allow for food, your phone, any contribution at home and something for unexpected costs. A small cushion can make the first few months less stressful.
For illustration, spending £25 a week on travel is roughly £108 a month when spread across a year. Spending £50 a week is about £217 a month. Those are example budgets, not local fare quotes, but the £109 difference is worth comparing with the pay gap between two offers.
Look at benefits too. Ask about travel support, paid leave and any equipment you need. Confirm which costs the employer covers, rather than assuming they are included.
If you are a parent or guardian helping someone weigh this up, our guide for parents and guardians explains TDR’s recruitment process and learner support. Talk through the practical details together, while giving the young person space to ask their own questions.
Questions to ask before accepting an offer
You do not need to apologise for asking about pay. These are normal questions about a job, and clear answers help both you and the employer start well.
- What is my starting salary, and how many paid hours does it cover?
- When will I receive my first wage, and how often will I be paid?
- When is pay reviewed, and are increases linked to specific achievements?
- Where will I work and train, and what are the start and finish times?
- How are additional hours handled, and are any advertised allowances guaranteed?
- What role and salary could I progress to after qualifying?
Keep a copy of the offer and contract. If an answer is unclear, ask the employer or TDR team to explain it before you accept.
What could I earn once I qualify?
The useful comparison is the job you are training towards. Ask what newly qualified people doing that role earn with the employer, rather than relying on a salary for an experienced engineer or technician elsewhere.
Find out whether the figure includes shifts, overtime or bonuses. Also ask whether a permanent position is guaranteed, dependent on performance or subject to a vacancy being available.
Those details help you judge the opportunity over the whole programme. A starting wage tells you what you can budget with now. A clear explanation of the next role helps you understand what you are working towards.
Find an apprenticeship that works for you
Pay is part of choosing an apprenticeship, alongside the work itself, the support you receive and where it could lead. A clear starting salary and an honest conversation about progression give you a firmer basis for that decision.
TDR works with employers across the North East, with its training base at Q1 Quorum Business Park in Newcastle. Whether you are leaving school or considering a different career, start by looking at the opportunities that match your interests and travel options.
Browse current vacancies, then speak to our team about the roles that interest you. We can help you understand the requirements and check which opportunities are available.
Call 0191 491 1505 or email skillsdevelopment@tdrtraining.co.uk.
