What funding is available for my school?
Use the table below to understand the apprenticeship funding available for your school.
| Apprenticeship funding - Levy payers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Voluntary aided and foundation schools | Community and voluntary controlled schools | Academies, free schools and multi-academy trusts | |
| Do I pay the levy? | If your school's annual pay bill is over £3 million - yes | If your local authority's annual pay bill is over £3 million - yes | If your pay bill is over £3 million - Yes The trust is likely to be your employer and operate under one pay bill so they're likely to pay the levy. |
| Where are my funds? | Get in touch with your governing body and see how much allocation is available | Your local authority should have already let you know how much levy you have available to spend. If you're unsure how to access the funds, contact your local authority to find out. | Get in touch with your trust and see how much allocation is available. |
| What can I use the funds for? | To fund training and assessment costs of apprenticeships (anyone can be an apprentice, there is no upper age limit and it can also be for existing staff) | ||
| Apprenticeship funding - Non-levy payers | |
|---|---|
| Do I pay the levy? | If the annual pay bill is under £3 million - no |
| What funding is available? | You can still take on apprentices and access funding to purchase training from an approved training provider/assessment organisation. The government will pay 95% of the training and assessment costs, and you/your employer will pay the remaining 5% (up to the maximum funding band set) for the apprenticeship |
| If you employ fewer than 50 staff | The government will pay 100% of the training and assessment costs if your apprentice is: - Aged between 16-18 - Aged between 19-24 with an Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) |
| Apprenticeship funding - Levy and non-levy paying employers | |
|---|---|
| Additional payments and incentives | You will receive an “additional payment” from your apprenticeship training provider of £1,000 for each new apprenticeship start where the apprentice is 16 -18 years old or aged under 25 with an Education, Health and Care plan. You will receive an “incentive payment” of £2,000 (16 – 24 year old), or £1,500 (25 years and over), for each any new recruit apprenticeship that starts with you in the period 1st August 2020 – 31st March 2021. Claim your incentive(s) through the apprenticeship service You will receive an “incentive payment” of £3,000, for each any new recruit apprenticeship (any age) that starts with you in the period 1st April 2021 – 30th September 2021. Claim your incentive(s) through the apprenticeship service. You could have 100% of the training and assessment costs covered through a levy transfer. |
I think my school pays the levy, what should I do next?
It is important that you understand how the apprenticeship service and levy works and what the funding can and cannot be used for. There is more detailed information about the apprenticeship service and levy available through gov.uk
If you think that you are paying the apprenticeship levy, you will need to establish:
- Which organisation / individual controls the funds
- How much funding your school will have access to and the steps involved in accessing the funding
Further reading
The Department for Education has created this useful resource:
A guide to apprenticeships for the school workforce
Apprenticeship Funding
Where can I find out more?
Visit www.apprenticeships.gov.uk
Or call the National Apprenticeship Service on 0800 015 0600