Apprenticeships are genuine jobs allowing the apprentice to earn while they learn; developing the skills, knowledge and behaviours to be competent in a specific job role. They attract funding for recruiting and developing new and existing staff for specific job roles at different levels.
Who is it for?
Apprentices can be aged 16+; new recruits or existing staff
Duration
12 months (minimum)
Employer costs
Wages: £4.15 per hour (minimum)
Training and end-point assessment costs:
- Non levy payers – 5% of training costs for apprentices starting after 1 April 2019 (10% before)
- Levy payers – funded from your Apprenticeship Service account, which is topped up by 10% by the government. If you don’t have enough funds, you just pay 5% of the outstanding balance and the government will pay the rest up to the funding bnd maximum.
Training
Off-the-job training: 20% of the apprentice’s normal working hours must be spent off-the-job, to learn the knowledge, skills and behaviours to meet the criteria of the apprenticeship. This can include training delivered at the workplace, day release, block training or special workshops.
On-the-job training: 80% of the apprentice’s normal working hours must be spent learning on-the-job. You’ll need to give your apprentice training and support to help them carry out the job you’ve hired them for.
Funding and incentives
£2,000 for 16-24 year olds or £1,500 for 25+ year olds. This is incentive is for new employees and the apprentices must have started an apprenticeship between 1 August 2020 and 31 March 2021. Payment is to support an apprentice and can be used for wages, travel and mentoring.
£3,000 for new employees starting an apprenticeship between 1 April 2021 to 30 September 2021.
No training costs for employers with less than 50 employees and apprentice is aged between 16-18 or 19-24 with an Education, Health and Care plan (EHC) or has been in the care of their local authority.
No National Insurance contributions for apprentices under 25 years on earnings below the higher tax rate.
Claim money from the Workforce Development Fund towards associated costs of listed adult social care
Commitment from the employer
- You must have a genuine job with a contract of employment long enough for an apprentice to complete their apprenticeship.
- Support your apprentice meet their learning goals.
- Work with your chosen learning provider to ensure learning requirements are met and off-the-job learning time is given
Further information