Minimum Wage for Hairdressing Apprentices
I am getting an increasing and worrying number of questions regarding the pay rates for apprentices under the age of 21, mainly from apprentices who believe that they are being underpaid by their employers.
For Salon Owners
If your apprentice is aged 19 and over you can pay them £2.50 per hour in their first year of apprenticeship only.
If your apprentice is in their second year you must pay them the minimum wage relivant to their age. IE.
Apprentices aged over 19 should be paid the following hourly rates.
20 years of age £ 4.92 per hour
21 years and over £5.93 per hour.
These rates are likely to change in October 2011.
My step daughter has just left school and is working at a local hairdressing salon. On the 20th June she will be starting full-time on an apprenticeship. She is going to be paid £80.00 per week and she will be attending college one day a week. Do you know how many hours she should be expected to work for £80.00 a week.
Thank you
Wendy brown
Hi Wendy
Your daughter should not be asked to work more than 38 hours per week and should be paid a minimum of £2.50 per hour as an apprentice.
Please read the information below:
Minimum Wage rates in force from 1 October 2010: (will change UP in October ish 2011)
* £5.93 per hour for low paid workers aged 21 and over (a 2.2% increase on the current £5.80 rate);
* £4.92 per hour for 18-20 year olds (a 1.9% increase on the current £4.83 rate); and
* £3.64 per hour for 16-17 year olds (a 2% increase on the current £3.57 rate.
The Government also announced that it had accepted the LPC’s recommendation to introduce an apprentice minimum wage of £2.50 per hour. The new rate will apply to those apprentices who are under 19 or those that are aged 19 and over but in the first year of their apprenticeship.
The decision to pay minimum wage is that of the Salon owner - IE: minimum wage is the minimum they must pay by law. The salon owner has a choice to pay more if they so wish. However in the main, most salon owners do chose to pay minimum wage.
Also when a “minor” becomes an apprentice they should have a contract called a “Deed of Apprenticeship” which a parent or guardian should read and sign. This gives parents the opportunity to speak on behalf of a minor who is not experienced enough to negotiate on their own behalf.
I hope this has helped. Regards - Mick
Hi Mick
Thank you for your reply, it certainly helps. Just one quick question, are the 8 hours at college taken as working hours ?
Regards
Wendy
Hi Wendy
Yes the hours worked at college are part of the working week.
Mick
i started work in a salon about 2 weeks ago i work from 9 to5 on a thursday 5 to 9 on a friday and 9 to 5 on a saturday and only get paid 30 pound i have finshed my frist year in hairdressing and i am 17 years old could you please tell me if i am gettind paid the right amount thank you .
Hi Jolene
Taking away time for breaks and bearing in mind your details are quite vague it appears that you are working 18 hours and receiving £30.00 pay. £30.00 divided by 18 hours = £1.66 per hour
The minimum wage for a 17 years old apprentice is £2.50 per hour
The minimum wage for a 17 years old worker (non-apprentice) is £3.64 per hour
If you have been employed as an apprentice you should be paid £2.50 per hour, and you will have been asked to read and sign a “Deed of Apprenticeship” (employee contract) if you are not an apprentice then you should be earning £3.64 per hour.
I hope this helps.
thank you very much this has helped alot
ive been working in my salon for 2 years in july and im still on £100 a week. ive just had a meeting with the owner and they have refused to pay me any thing more.
i dont know what to do now… thankyou
Hi Kirsty
I am afraid there are too many variables and your question is far too broad fore me to answer fairly. Please take some time to read all of the questions and answers on this page and I am sure you will find the guidance you seek.
Thanks - Mick
Hi Mick,
This information is really useful, but could I just double-check? My daughter is 18 years of age, working 38 hours a week on a hairdressing apprenticeship, including one day a week at college. She is just coming to the end of her second year and will stay at the same salon to do Level 3. At the moment, as her 2nd year ends, she is being paid £95 a week. What sort of salary might she anticipate as she goes into Year 3? Is it the minimum wage for 18-20 year olds? (4.92 per hour). Or can the salon still pay the £2.50 ph apprentice minimum wage if they choose?
Thanks, Paul
Hi Paul
It really depends on your daughters contract with the salon. If your daughter is an “Apprentice” and she is 18 years of age she will have entered into her apprenticeship with the salon and she should have been issued with a “Deed of Apprenticeship” this a contact for a minor which is signed by a parent or guardian. The contract will clearly state whether it is a two or three year apprenticeship.
If the terms of the apprenticeship is for three years then she can still be paid the apprentice rate until she turns 19.
The salon does not get to choose the rate, the government does. Your daughter is either an apprentice with an appropriate apprentice contract or she is an employee with an appropriate employee contract.
In my experience most hairdressing apprenticeships run for two years in which time the apprentice attains Level 2 qualification, and then becomes a full time employee on the minimum wage appropriate to their age group and commissions based upon client numbers and productivity.
Your first step is to check your daughters contract.
Hope this helps - Mick
Thanks Mick, it does. Checking her Deed, she is signed up for a 3 year contract - so I guess we are relying on the generosity of her employer to take it above the apprentice rate! Thanks again,
Paul
We have just taken on a 17yr old student. she has gained her NVQ2 on a fulltime college course and is looking for an apprentiship with us.Her knowledge and skills are very lacking and informed us she only learnt a short graduation 3 weeks before finishing her level2 ! she did not know that you should shampoo twice?We have sent he r for a skills scan to a local college in order to get her on their nvq3 programme.They have told us they are puzzled how she managed to pass her level 2 and has very little skills.They have advised us that she should do her level 3 diploma this September (2011)and then progress onto NVQ next year in order for her to develop the skills she is lacking.She is 18 in November and we would like to give her the opportunity to work with us however,
We are worried about minimum wages and how that will impact on us.We are a small salon and are not sure which is the best way to fund this option.
Hi,
I am currently working in a salon as a Level 3 apprentice (I have almost done 1 year of level 3 and expected to be completed and signed off just before Christmas).
I have done my Level 2 in this salon as well and was paid £80.00 a week until it raised up to £95.00.
I am still on £95.00 a week now I was wondering if I am being paid right. I do everything in the salon just like the other stylists and feel like I am under paid. My bosses aren’t very approachable when it comes to things like this and it was bad enough trying to tell them when it went up to £95.00 from £80.00. Getting a day in lieu off is a miracle with them!
I am 19 years old and will be 20 this November.
I work 36 hours a week which includes 6 at college, but I work in the salon that day if college is off.
Help Please!
Thanks!
Hi Paul - You are welcome - Mick
Hi
I can’t advise you how to proceed however I can give the choices open to you for you to decide.
1. Employ the person as an trainee hairdresser and pay the minimum wage appropriate to her age: read about the minimum wage for hairdressers here.
2. Speak to the person about their skills and ask him or her if they would like to sign up for a two year apprenticeship with you duting which time you will help them to improve their skills and if they agree issue a “deed of apprenticeship” which keeps the process legal and above board.
Hope this helps - Mick
Hi Jade
I do ot have enough details about your working history of your contract to advise you accurately - please read the details in this > page about the minimum wage - hopefully this will help.
Mick
Hey there Mick
I am 22 years old and have already gained a VRQ qualification in Hairdressing. At the moment I am working a few casual hours at a salon where I have been doing a work placement for the duration of my course. Am I entitled to the minimum wage for my age even though the work is casual?
Also the same salon is taking me on as an apprentice to gain my NVQ Level 2 qualification. As i have already done a year at college and feel quite confident with different hairdressing services the salon is hoping to fast track me so that I gain my NVQ in 6 months and attend college one day a week. I would be really grateful if you were able to answer a few questions for me which I am unsure about.
What is the maximum number of hours that I can work at my age and does the day at college count as part of my working hours?
Would I get paid per hour (£2.50) or per week (£95)?
Where do I stand, if both stylists are on leave at the same time and the salon is closed so I am unable to work? will I still get paid, surely I wouldnt have to take this time as annual leave?
How much annual leave will i get and am I entitled to sick pay at all?
many thanks, it is greatly appreciated as its all a bit confusing!
Hi Helen
Casual Worker
Even a casual worker is protected by the law. The minimum wage for a person aged 21 and over is currently £5.93 per hour. This is the rate you should be paid.
Apprentice aged 26
As a 26 year old you can be employed as an apprentice and in your first year your employer can pay your the apprentice rate of £2.50 per hour.
However in your second year they must pay you the minimum wage prevailing at the time for your age.
Working Hours
Adult workers cannot be forced to work more than 48 hours a week on average - this is normally averaged over 17 weeks. You can work more than 48 hours in one week, as long as the average over 17 weeks is less than 48 hours per week.
Holidays
If the Salon has to close then it would be fair for the salon owner to write this into your contract that all employees take holiday’s at the same time. Small businesses need to be flexible and unfortunately so do you.
You could not expect your employer to pay you for not working and then pay you again for taking holidays. The law is structured fairly for both employers and employees.
my daughter works as a trainee hairdresser she is paid by cheque, but has never had a pay slip, so has no idea whether she pays tax etc is that correct?
My daughter is 18 year and is in her second year of apprenticeship working 40 hours per week @ £2.50 per hours. She will be 19 in a few weeks will her hourly rate increase.
hi,
I’ve recently left year 11, and now doing a hair dressing apprenticeship i work 9-6, 3 week days and 9-7 on friday and 8.30-6pm on saturday and i get paid £100 a week i havent been given a contract or any paper work, what should i be getting paid hourly and how many hours should i be working a week ?
thanks
Hi mick, My 19 yr old sister is almost half way through her apprenticeship and although we all find it ridiculous that she is on £2.50 an hour have come to terms with it. BUT her employer on the other hand has taken the mick! I was just wondering if you know if it is legal to leave an apprentice to run the salon on a regular basis sometimes for up to 10 days completely on their own. She is left to look after the salon and all the clients with no other staff.
Is this allowed? and if not are their any lega implications such as insurance which would become a problem for her?
Thanks
There is no simple answer to this:
In order for a business owner to allow “Lone Workers” to work solo in any trade or occupation they are legally bound to carry out a “risk assessment” - if this was done then I am sure that it would be found that an apprentice is not qualified to run a salon single handed.
I know this leaves many questions and frustrations unanswered, however this needs to be taken up with the salon owner. In my personal opinion this is irresponsible as there is no supervision or continued training for the apprentice.
Sorry I can’t be more help on this question - Mick
Hi - Thank you for your question.
Currently the hourly rate for an “apprentice” of your age is £2.50 per hour and you should work on average 38 hours per week including any working time you may spend at collage.
Your employer has to issue you with a contract of employment within - 8 weeks of you starting work. If you are an apprentice you should receive a “deed of hairdressing apprenticeship”.
You should ask your employer when he or she will be issuing your contract.
Hope this helps - Mick
Hi Jane
No this is not correct - Your daughters employer should be providing a payslip. Please refer to your daughters contract of employment to establish exactly when she started work at the salon and then ask for copies of payslips back to that date.
Hope this helps - Mick