New Apprenticeship Reform Publications

The Government has published new documentation regarding next year's Apprenticeship Levy; the information includes guidance on the proposals for funding and information on the new training providers register. Feedback is requested by September 5th 2016 and further analysis of the documents can be found on this page (including links).

Proposals for apprenticeship funding in England from May 2017

This document sets out our initial proposals for apprenticeship funding in England from May 2017. It includes a request for feedback (by 5th September) on the proposals and states that they will be tested further, including on how they support the government’s emerging industrial strategy and how they ensure that individuals from all backgrounds and parts of the country have the opportunity to get on in life.

This document sets out initial proposals for funding apprenticeships in England, from May 2017, and includes information on:

• Start date for the new system
• Funding bands
• Simpler funding system for apprenticeship frameworks
• Co-investment rate
• Support for small employers training 16-18 year olds
• Extra support for apprentices aged 16-18 years of age, 19-24 year old care leavers and those who have an Education, Health and Care Plan
• Support for English and maths training
• Learning support
• Cross-border training
• Re-training:
• Transferring of digital funds

Proposals for a new Register of Apprenticeship Training Providers

This document contains a background of the Apprenticeship Levy and the reforms taking place, as well as the proposals on who should be able to provide apprenticeship training in England. Feedback is again requested (by 5th September).

Further information within the document includes:

• Why a new register is needed for apprenticeships
• Eligibility to apply for the apprenticeship training
• The future role of subcontracting in apprenticeships
• Application routes
• Application tests (e.g. due diligence test; financial health test)
• Timeline for applications
• Circumstances for removal of training providers from the RoATP
• Government ‘next steps’

Guidance for employers thinking about becoming apprenticeship training providers

This document provides non-satutory guidance from the Department for Education on helping employers understand the different steps involved in becoming an apprenticeship training provider. The guidance is relevant for employers who wish to become apprenticeship training providers and deliver the off-the-job training element of an apprenticeship, either to their own staff or other employers’ staff.

Further information in the document includes:

• Benefits of becoming an apprenticeship training provider
• Training options available
• A step by step process to becoming a training provider
• Development of training content/materials
• Training delivery, reporting and monitoring
• Reporting to the SFA
• Annual monitoring
• Ofsted inspection
• What the levy money can be spent on
• Adapting existing training programmes to become apprenticeships

Apprenticeship funding calculator

This is an online tool to estimate whether your organisation will pay the apprenticeship levy, how much your organisation will have available to spend on apprenticeships and how much the government will contribute towards the cost of training.

The tool requires you to know your organisation’s annual UK payroll and further information of use would include the percentage of your workforce living in England and the type of apprenticeship training you will need.

Updated guidance on the apprenticeship levy: how it will work

This guidance offers information on paying the apprenticeship levy; accessing money paid under the apprenticeship levy; buying apprenticeship training; what you can spend the funding on; eligibility for training and when further information regarding the apprenticeship levy will be available.