Apprenticeship rights and responsibilities

Your rights

Employment law

Apprentices are employees. You're covered by employment law, which includes protections such as:

• a minimum of 20 days paid leave each year, plus bank holidays
• a safe working environment
• equal access to facilities
• sick pay
• parental leave
• redundancy pay
• protection against unfair dismissal
• the right to request flexible working
• time off for emergencies

See other standard employee rights on GOV.UK

Pay

You will earn at least the National Minimum Wage for apprentices or the National Minimum Wage, depending on how old you are when you start.

Claiming benefits

As an apprentice, you’re entitled to benefits depending on your circumstances and how much you earn. Your benefits will not be affected by any financial support you claim as an apprentice either, as long as your total savings are less than £6,000.

Training time

Your employer must give you time during your working hours to do your off-the-job training. The number of hours you’ll need to spend in training will be agreed with your training provider and employer, and can be found in Skills England’s apprenticeship finder by searching for your course, selecting it, and finding the 'minimum hours for compliance'. You should not have to work extra hours outside of your normal working schedule to complete your training.

If one of the requirements of your apprenticeship is to get an English and maths qualification, your employer must allow you time to study for this within your normal working hours. Studying for English and maths is not counted as part of your OTJ training. 

Your employer may give you study leave to help you prepare for assessments, but they do not have to. Ask your employer for more information about the study leave you can get. 

Course structure

You have the right to know the content of your apprenticeship and what’s required of you. This includes the knowledge and skills you'll be assessed on, and what your assessment will involve.

Your apprenticeship agreement and apprenticeship training plan will give you more details about your rights and what to expect during your apprenticeship.

Replace your apprenticeship certificate

If your apprenticeship certificate is incorrect, damaged or lost, you can request a replacement.

If your original certificate was not received, we’ll check our system to see when it was sent. If it was posted in the last 6 months, we’ll provide you with proof of delivery information so you can try and locate the original.

If you cannot locate the original certificate, a reprint of the certificate can be created for you.

Certificates can take up to 3 weeks to arrive.

To request a free replacement certificate contact your training provider or assessment organisation.

Get support

If you need additional support with work-related problems, there are independent sources that offer advice, counselling, and legal assistance.

Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service ACAS: provides free and impartial advice to employees on employment rights, best practices, and policies.

Citizens Advice: provides free, confidential and independent advice to help people overcome their problems, including employment issues.

Law Centres Network: offers legal advice, casework and representation to individuals and communities. 

Money Helper provides free, impartial information and guidance about money and pensions.

Roles and responsibilities

You, your employer and your training provider have responsibilities to meet throughout your apprenticeship. If your employer or training provider is not meeting these responsibilities you can get help.

Your responsibilities

Before starting, you must:

• read and sign an apprenticeship agreement
• agree a training plan with your employer and training provider
• tell your employer and training provider about any relevant learning you’ve done
• agree if your previous learning means you do not have to complete any parts of the apprenticeship training
• know what off-the-job training is, and when it starts and ends
• understand that a set number of my normal working hours will be off-the-job training
• understand that you'll be assessed on what you've learnt during your apprenticeship
• tell your employer and training provider about any learning needs or health issues you have

During your apprenticeship, you must: 

• take part in regular progress reviews with your employer and training provider usually every 12 weeks
• attend all your off-the-job training and provide proof of recorded hours where needed
• complete all learning activities, assignments and exams
• tell your employer in advance when you cannot attend work
• tell your training provider in advance when you cannot attend my off-the-job training
• agree with your employer and training provider when you're ready to be assessed
• talk with your employer or training provider about any feedback, concerns or complaints you have

Flexi-job apprenticeships

If you’re doing a portable flexi-job apprenticeship, you’ll be responsible for finding your own jobs and moving between different employers. You’re also responsible for telling any new employers about what you’ve learnt.

If you’re doing a flexi-job apprenticeship using an agency, the agency (your provider) is responsible for finding you jobs. They’ll take responsibility for progress reviews between all parties every 12 weeks and make sure that you and each employer can see a summary of your learning and progress to date.

Your employer’s responsibilities

Your employer will give you hands-on experience in your chosen job. They’ll provide you with training and supervision to help you develop the skills you need to perform the role you’ve been employed to do.

Your employer must: 

• sign and give you a copy of your apprenticeship agreement that you agreed together
• agree a training plan with you and your training provider
• agree with you and your training provider on reductions in training you might have due to prior learning
• give you time your off-the-job training during your normal working hours as defined in your training plan
• take part in regular progress reviews with you and your training provider every 12 weeks
• work with you and your training provider to resolve any concerns or complaints
• carry out end of employment review when your job ends

Your training provider’s responsibilities

Your provider is responsible for your off-the-job training. Your off-the-job training will be a set number of your normal working hours spent learning new skills, knowledge and behaviours for your apprenticeship. Your off-the-job training will be managed by your training provider.

Your training provider must: 

• have a copy of the apprenticeship agreement signed by you and your employer 
• agree your training plan with you and your employer and ensured it accounts for prior learning, English and maths needs and additional learning support 
• tell you and your employer if they will use sub-contracted training providers to deliver any of your training 
• explain that you will be assessed on what you’ve learnt during your apprenticeship 
• enable you to complete your off-the-job training during your normal working hours as defined in your training plan 
• take part in regular progress reviews with you and your training provider every 12 weeks 
• work with you and your employer to resolve any concerns or complaints 
• carry out end of employment review when your job ends 

Get help

If you think your employer or training provider are not meeting their responsibilities, you can make a complaint. We’d recommend talking to them first to see if you can resolve the issue. Regular feedback sessions with your employer and training provider can also help.

If you still have concerns after talking to them, we can help you. You can complain about a further education college or apprenticeship.