Find funding and support

Recruitment support payments

The financial support available depends on whether you pay the apprenticeship levy.

• If you don’t pay the apprenticeship levy: you can receive up to £8,000 in payments
• If you pay the apprenticeship levy: you can receive up to £6,000 in payments

These payments are made up of the support available below and, where eligible, can be combined for the same apprentice.

Incentive payments and grants

These are the types of support available from the government:

• £1,000 incentive payment for businesses hiring apprentices aged under 19, or aged 19 to 24 and are care leavers, or have an education, health and care (EHC) plan
• £2,000 incentive payment for employers with apprentices on a foundation apprenticeship 
• additional grants for travel and accommodation available for Construction Industry Training Board (CITB)-registered employers and their apprentices 
• £724 of Government funding is available for apprentices who need to achieve minimum level 2 English and maths 
• employers are exempt from paying National Insurance contributions from apprentices under 25 earning under £50,270 annually  
• potential eligibility for additional funding support from local government sources. Check with your local authority to see what is available in your area 

Levy transfers and full funding

Apprenticeships and foundation apprenticeships

Businesses that do not pay the apprenticeship levy normally contribute 5% of training costs, while the government covers the remaining 95% (up to the funding band maximum for that apprenticeship training course). However, no employer contribution is needed if you: 

• receive a levy transfer from another employer 
• apprentice is under 22 years old (for new starts from 1 April 2024) 
• your apprentice is 22 to 24 years old with an education, health and care (EHC) plan or is, or has been, in care (for new starts from 1 April 2024) 

Apprenticeship units

The government will fund all of the training costs for apprenticeship units for employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy (up to the funding band maximum for the apprenticeship unit). You can also receive a levy transfer from another employer.

Bursaries and other support

Care leavers' bursary

Apprentices who are currently in care or leaving care may be eligible for the care leaver's bursary.

The Care Leaver Covenant’s inclusive employer toolkit can help you provide the right support for care leavers in apprenticeships. 

Support for disabled apprentices and apprentices with a learning difficulty

Training providers receive monthly payments to help disabled apprentices or apprentices with a learning difficulty. Employees can also receive Access to Work grants, which provide practical workplace adjustments and support for staff with disabilities or health conditions.

Payments you may be eligible for

• £1,000 payment - for employers hiring apprentices aged 16 to 18, or under 25 who are in care or have been in care, or have an education, health and care (EHC) plan.
• £2,000 hiring payment - for non-levy paying employers recruiting new apprentices aged 16 to 24.
• £2,000 payment - for employers recruiting foundation apprentices aged 16 to 21, or under 25
• if they have an EHC plan, have been in care or are in care, or are in prison or leaving prison.
• £3,000 Youth Jobs Grant - for employers who hire an apprentice aged 18 to 24 who has been out of work and claiming Universal Credit for six months or more.

Other employer support available

• Government funding for apprenticeship training for 16- to 24-year-olds. The government will pay the full cost of training and assessment, up to the funding band maximum. You can estimate the funding available to cover your apprentice’s training costs.
• You will not usually pay employer National Insurance contributions for apprentices under 25. Check HMRC guidance for more information.
• You may be able to get other support from your local authority. Contact your local authority to find out what support is available in your area.

Funding for apprenticeship training costs

The government can pay 100% of apprenticeship training and assessment costs, up to the funding band maximum, for apprentices aged 16 to 24. This applies whether or not you pay the apprenticeship levy, subject to the funding rules.

For apprentices aged 25 and over:

• If you do not pay the apprenticeship levy
• , you pay
• 5%
• of the training and assessment costs. The government pays the remaining 95%.
• If you pay the apprenticeship levy and have used all your funds
• , you pay
• 25%
• of the training and assessment costs. The government pays the remaining 75%.

If the cost of training and assessment is higher than the funding band maximum, you must pay the difference.