Mandatory training time is working time. Employers who do not pay for it risk minimum wage breaches and employment tribunal claims.
When Training Time Must Be Paid
| Training type | Must be paid? |
|---|---|
| Induction training required before starting | Yes |
| Mandatory on-site training day | Yes |
| Mandatory online modules in own time | Yes (NMW applies) |
| Voluntary development training in own time | No (if genuinely voluntary) |
| Training for a qualification that benefits mainly you | Depends — check contract and context |
| Apprenticeship off-the-job training | Yes — NMW applies throughout |
The key distinction is whether the employer requires you to do it. If attendance (or completion) is compulsory, it is working time.
Checking for a Minimum Wage Breach
If you are paid a salary (not hourly):
- Calculate your total pay in the relevant period
- Divide by total hours worked — including mandatory training
- If the result is below £12.21/hour (age 21+, 2025/26), there may be a minimum wage breach
Report to HMRC at gov.uk/pay-and-work-rights — HMRC investigates without requiring a tribunal claim and can order back-pay.
Training Cost Repayment Agreements
Your employer can legally require you to repay training costs if you leave within a set period — but only if:
- There is a written agreement signed before the training
- The repayment is proportionate
- Repayment does not bring your pay below NMW
See our guide: Can My Employer Claw Back Training Costs?
Enforcing Your Right to Pay for Mandatory Training
If your employer requires you to attend training, you must be paid — this is not a grey area for most employees. Steps to take if you are not being paid:
- Raise it informally — tell your manager or HR that mandatory training time should be compensated and ask for confirmation of the pay arrangement
- Check your contract — confirm whether your contract addresses training pay explicitly
- Submit a grievance — if the informal route fails, a formal written grievance creates a record and triggers a formal response
- ACAS — call 0300 123 1100 for free employment rights advice
- Employment tribunal — a claim for unlawful deduction from wages can be made for unpaid time. The time limit is 3 months minus one day
For National Minimum Wage compliance, HMRC considers mandatory training to be working time — if the total pay in the pay period divided by total working hours (including training time) falls below NMW, the employer is in breach.