Yes, apprentices can be furloughed in the same way as other employees and your child can also continue to train whilst on furlough.
Their employer must pay them at least the Apprenticeship Minimum Wage/National Living Wage/National Minimum Wage for all the time they have spent training. This means that for time spent training your child’s employer must cover any shortfall between the amount they can claim for your child’s wages through the furlough scheme and their appropriate minimum wage.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that your child’s employer will keep them on after the furlough scheme ends. This will depend on the circumstances of the individual business/employer.
The hope is that by the time the Furlough scheme ends, restrictions will have lifted and your child can return to work where their employer can start paying full wages again.
If your child is on a zero hours contract and they are taxed through PAYE, then they should be entitled to be furloughed. Their 80% payment will be based on the higher of:
Your child will need to discuss furlough with their employer, or the relevant agency where applicable. If they are put on furlough, they won’t be able to do any work for their employer or on their behalf until the furlough ends.
If your child has been on their employer’s payroll from 30th October 2020 then the government will pay their employer 80% of their salary, up to £2,500/month.
Your child’s employer can choose to top up their wage to the full 100% but they don’t have to.
Your child cannot do any work for their employer, or on their behalf, until furlough ends.
Furlough is basically a job retention scheme that means your child can still get paid 80% of their wages if their job has been affected by COVID-19. It essentially means their job is being put on standby until normality resumes and they can go back to work. If they are put on furlough, they won’t be able to do any work for their employer or on their behalf until furlough ends.