Policy paper

Apprenticeship funding

How the government funds apprenticeships in England, including details of funding bands and the apprenticeship levy.

Applies to England

Documents

Details

These policy papers set out how the government funds apprenticeships in England.

They explain the apprenticeship funding policy that applies to apprentices who started after 1 April 2023.

Previous versions of the policy papers are available on The National Archives, covering updates back to 2017.

Apprenticeship funding: the eligible and ineligible costs of training consultation response

In December 2020, we ran a consultation on how the apprenticeship budget is managed. The consultation response is the result of that work.

Changes as a result of the consultation were implemented in the 2022 to 2023 academic year.

Further information

The equality assessment sets out the effect that this apprenticeship funding system will have on groups with protected characteristics - for example, disabilities.

There is more information on the apprenticeship funding rules.

Published 17 May 2018
Last updated 31 October 2023 + show all updates
  1. We have updated the policy paper on apprenticeship funding to reflect the new apprenticeship provider and assessment register. We have also updated the eligibility section with information about crown servants posted overseas. We have updated the policy paper on apprenticeship funding for employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy to include information on when employers can backdate a reservation.

  2. 'Apprenticeship funding for employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy' has been added. Information has been included about the 'Apprenticeship funding: the eligible and ineligible costs of training' consultation response. A link has been included to older versions of these policy papers on the National Archives.

  3. Updated 'Apprenticeship funding in England (from April 2023)'.

  4. Apprenticeship funding: the eligible and ineligible costs of training consultation response added

  5. Updated 'Apprenticeship funding in England (from June 2022)'.

  6. Updated 'Apprenticeship funding in England (from November 2021)'.

  7. Updated 'Apprenticeship funding in England (from August 2021)'.

  8. Updated 'Apprenticeship funding in England (from August 2020)'.

  9. Added 'Apprenticeship funding in England (from August 2020)'.

  10. We've added the new document: apprenticeship funding for employers who do not pay the apprenticeship levy. This outlines changes to the way employers who do not pay the levy arrange their apprenticeships.

  11. Added 'Apprenticeship funding in England from April 2019'.

  12. First published.