--- title: "Research relating to the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "LOW PAY COMMISSION" published: "2025-12-19" --- # Research relating to the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage Buyer: LOW PAY COMMISSION Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2.json) ## Summary The Low Pay Commission, a non-departmental public body located in London, UK, is inviting tenders for research focusing on the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage as part of a government initiative. This procurement process is in the tender stage, with an open competition method and a maximum contract value of £40,000 excluding VAT (£48,000 including VAT). The research outcomes are expected by September 2026. Interested parties should submit their proposals by 2nd February 2026, with the enquiry period closing on 12th January 2026. The project falls under the services industry category, specifically research and development services and related consultancy services, and aims to enhance understanding of the minimum wage's impact on apprenticeships. This tender presents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in research and development, particularly those experienced in economic and labour market analysis. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are deemed suitable bidders. By participating, businesses can not only secure financial gain but also add to their portfolio by contributing valuable insights into an impactful socio-economic issue. The tender requires a combination of commercial, quality, and price elements for evaluation, making it an excellent opportunity for entities that excel in delivering strategic research solutions with cost-effective methodologies. ## Notice The Low Pay Commission (LPC) invites tenders for research relating to the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage. This call for research is for projects that would deliver their final results by September 2026 (with a final report after this). Researchers with projects that require a longer timeframe may wish to consider bidding on LPC 2026/07 The Low Pay Commission is a non-departmental public body that advises the Government about the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW) and the minimum wage rates for young workers and apprentices. You can view our most recent published remit for 2025 here. We are responsible for evaluating the effects of the NMW and NLW and making recommendations on future rates. To carry out these functions, our work involves: * carrying out extensive research and consultation with employers, workers and their representatives and taking written and oral evidence from a wide range of organisations; * analysing relevant data to understand the state of the economy and labour market and the impact of the minimum wage; * commissioning research projects into these questions. The current government has an ambition to move to a single adult minimum wage rate for all workers aged 18 and above. Our most recent remit asked the LPC to balance this ambition with the Government's concern about current levels of youth unemployment when making our recommendations on the 18-20 Year Old Rate. We have previously noted the importance of the interactions between the youth and apprentice rates of the minimum wage (see, for example, the LPC's Beyond 2024 Report) and are considering the full range of options for the future of the Apprentice Rate. We have also recommended considerable increases to the Apprentice Rate in recent years, but the data available to evaluate these increases are limited. This research will support our understanding of the impacts of the Apprentice Rate of the minimum wage on employer and/or worker decisions and outcomes. It will complement the LPC's own analysis of apprenticeship starts, vacancies and pay (including later salaries of those have completed apprenticeships). The estimated maximum value for the contract is PS40,000 (excluding VAT; PS48,000 including VAT). However we welcome proposals for smaller projects and anticipate bids in the range PS20,000 to PS40,000 exclusive of VAT. The project will deliver findings for September 2026. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085177-2025 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Open | | Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 19 Dec 2025 | | Submission deadline | 2 Feb 2026 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 2 Mar 2026 - 31 Dec 2026 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £40,000 | | Lots value | £40,000 | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | LOW PAY COMMISSION | | Locality | LONDON | | Post town | East London | | Postcode | E14 4PU | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLI London | | ITL 2 | TLI4 Inner London - East | | ITL 3 | TLI42 Tower Hamlets | | Local authority | Tower Hamlets | | Electoral ward | Canary Wharf | | Westminster constituency | Poplar and Limehouse | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ### Codes - 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services ## Release History - 19 Dec 2025 at 19:15 - TenderUpdate - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085177-2025 - 19 Dec 2025 at 17:21 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085152-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085177-2025 19th December 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085152-2025 19th December 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/low-pay-commission-call-for-research-for-2026-and-beyond A detailed description of the project requirements is provided in the Invitation to Tender (ITT) document published on the Low Pay Commission website. The pricing schedule template can be found alongside the ITT document. Note that there may be a short delay before the linked page goes live. If you are unable to access it initially, please try again on the next working day. ## Notice URLs - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-05faf2.json.