Find funding 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.

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.