Guidance

Apprenticeship funding rules

The rules employers and training providers must follow to get funding for training and assessing apprentices in England.

Applies to England

There are different funding rules for different apprenticeship start dates. You must follow the funding rules that apply to each apprentice.

2023 to 2024 rules

The 2023 to 2024 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2023 and 31 July 2024.

View the 2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules (PDF, 810 KB, 136 pages). These rules apply to:

  • employers
  • employer-providers
  • main providers

The summary of changes (PDF, 267 KB, 24 pages) explains the specific funding rules that are changing from 1 August 2023.

2022 to 2023 rules

The 2022 to 2023 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2022 and 31 July 2023.

View the funding rules for:

Other documents

You can also view:

2021 to 2022 rules

The 2021 to 2022 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2021 and 31 July 2022.

View the funding rules:

Other documents

You can also view:

2020 to 2021 rules

The 2020 to 2021 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2020 and 31 July 2021.

View the funding rules:

Other documents

You can also view:

2019 to 2020 rules

The 2019 to 2020 funding rules apply to apprenticeships starting between 1 August 2019 and 31 July 2020.

View the funding rules:

Other documents

You can also view:

Previous rules

View the previous funding rules for apprenticeships that started:

Contact us

Complete our survey to help us make the funding rules clearer.

Training providers

For help and support you can:

Employers

For help and support, use our enquiry form or phone us on 0800 015 0600.

Published 15 March 2019
Last updated 31 October 2023 + show all updates
  1. Updated the '2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules'. The summary of changes explains all the changes from version 1 of the funding rules.

  2. Updated the '2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules'. The changes are listed in the summary of changes document.

  3. Added the 2023 to 2024 apprenticeship funding rules and a summary of changes.

  4. Updated links to the digital format of the latest rules have been added.

  5. We have published version 2 of the funding rules for 2022 to 2023 and have updated the summary of changes document.

  6. We have updated the apprenticeship performance-management rules for training providers under 'other documents' in the 'The latest rules (2022 to 2023)' section.

  7. We have published the 2022 to 2023 apprenticeship funding rules (version 1) in PDF, following feedback from the recent clarification exercise. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  8. We have published the draft version of the funding rules for 2022 to 2023 to give you the opportunity to provide feedback on how we can make them clearer or better understood.

  9. We have published version 3 of the funding rules for 2021 to 2022 and have updated the summary of changes document.

  10. We have published version 2 of the funding rules for 2021 to 2022 and have updates the summary of changes document.

  11. We have published the 2021 to 2022 apprenticeship funding rules (version 1) in PDF, following feedback from the recent clarification exercise. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  12. We have added a clarification version of the 2021 to 2022 apprenticeship funding rules. We are issuing these funding rules as a clarification version in PDF to give you the opportunity to provide feedback on how we can make them clearer or better understood. Please email any suggestions to fundingrules.comments@education.gov.uk by Friday 16 July 2021.

  13. We have published a new version of the 2020 to 2021 apprenticeship funding rules (version 5) in PDF. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  14. We have published a new version of the 2020 to 2021 apprenticeship funding rules (version 4) in PDF. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  15. We have published a new version of the 2020 to 2021 apprenticeship funding rules (version 3) in PDF. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  16. We have published a new version of the 2020 to 2021 apprenticeship funding rules (version 2) in PDF. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  17. We have published the 2020 to 2021 apprenticeship funding rules (version 1) in PDF, following feedback from the recent clarification exercise. The web based rules will be live from the 1 August. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  18. We have updated the apprenticeship performance-management rules for training providers to include carry-in guidance

  19. We have added a clarification version of the 2020 to 2021 apprenticeship funding rules. We are issuing these funding rules as a clarification version in PDF to give you the opportunity to provide feedback on how we can make them clearer or better understood. Please email any suggestions to fundingrules.comments@education.gov.uk by Thursday 23 July 2020.

  20. We have updated the apprenticeship performance management rules 2019 to 2020 for training providers of interest to colleges, training providers, higher education institutions and employer-providers

  21. We have published the ESFA apprenticeship funding rules 2019 to 2020 (version 2) on GOV.UK. The rules apply to all providers, employers and employers-providers receiving apprenticeship funding from the ESFA.

  22. We have published the 2019 to 2020 apprenticeship funding rules (version 1) in PDF, following feedback from the recent clarification exercise. The web based rules will be live from the 1 August, replacing the 2018 to 2019 rules. The changes we have made are set out in the summary of changes which can be found on the apprenticeship funding rules page on GOV.UK.

  23. We have added a clarification version of the 2019 to 2020 apprenticeship funding rules. There are no major policy changes. However, we have simplified some sections of the apprenticeship funding rules with the aim of making them clearer. We are issuing these funding rules as a clarification version in PDF to give you the opportunity to provide feedback on how we can make them clearer or better understood. Please email any suggestions to fundingrules.comments@education.gov.uk by Friday 12 July 2019.

  24. We have updated the apprenticeship performance-management rules for training providers.

  25. First published.